


Last Round

by BlackHunter666



Series: Many Lives, One Global Fight [6]
Category: Assassin's Creed, Scarecrow Series - Matthew Reilly
Genre: F/M, Family, Gen, M/M, One Last Round, Rebuilding Lives, Rescued Prisoners
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-18
Packaged: 2018-05-11 03:29:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 22,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5612263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackHunter666/pseuds/BlackHunter666
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pulling together and facing each challenge head on, the Auditore siblings once again stand united to finish cleaning up the mess started by the previous generation on and under the sands of Egypt. The battles against the slavers are over but now they're faced with one last challenge, one more historical element to twist into their empire and they're itching to show that they are more than worthy to share the legacy of their parents.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Slow Progress

'Oh come on, you can't be serious Vanni. I know nothing about running the city. Why do you both have to fuck off now?' Luisa growled, glaring at her older brothers angrily. 'I was meant to start the next battle season tomorrow.'  
'It's not that hard, Luisa. Just take a daily walk with Philippe and Bart; in full period costume and people won't even question the change. It's only for a couple of weeks.' Lorenzo replied; rocking one of the baby girls he was now responsible for. 'All we're asking for is a chance to reconnect with our loved ones.'  
'And while I'm prancing around as Lady Luisa Auditore, who will lead my men?' Luisa asked, not at all impressed with what was being dumped in her lap. 'I'm the Condottiero, not the Lady of the City.'  
'It's only for two weeks, Luisa, you can handle it. Philippe can lead the mercenaries for you, they all like him.' Giovanni retorted, not really surprised that Luisa didn't like this. 'We gave you three weeks off to reconnect with your husband, we're only asking for two weeks to strengthen bonds strained by the fighting.'  
'Fine but this will cost you. No excuses, you're handing me all your responsibilities and you will pay me back for taking on this city and all that comes with it.' Luisa agreed, accepting the City Leader's cloak and swinging it around her shoulders. 'I suppose you want me to tell our convalescing friends the news.'  
'But of course, we have to head out or the Sunset Eagle will miss her tide.' Lorenzo smirked, coming around the desk. 'We owe you big time, Luisa.'  
'Yeah, feel free to leave a list of things we can do to repay you.' Giovanni added, hugging his sister close for a moment before hurrying out of the office with Lorenzo.  
'You're gonna regret saying that, brother dearest.' Luisa muttered, making sure the long cloak was properly settled before leaving the office.

The villa looked magnificent at the moment, decked in the traditional reds, greens, silvers and gold of the holidays. Christmas in the Auditore family was always a big deal, what with so many siblings to think about and all the extended family coming to gather around the ancient family table to share in the feast. This year all the Firenze Auditore were coming too, looking forward to celebrating a proper Christmas with Giovanni and Lorenzo at the head of the table. There wasn't time to change the plans now, they would just have to settle for Luisa and Philippe carving the first goose and ham for the table. This would also be the first time that the Firenze side of the family got to meet the three newest additions to the expansive family; everyone had been too busy preparing for Christmas to even think of mentioning that little detail to any of their cousins. The American branch of the family had already returned to the city, adding to the challenges but Luisa had never been one to back down from a fight. She would see this through and get her payback when things settled down again.

Deciding against getting changed right now, Luisa paused by one of the large mirrors and checked that her Condottiero uniform was looking as neat and perfect as she could, allowing for the stains and repaired damage scattered across it. She took such pride in looking so much like her father, keeping his memory alive in the best way possible. Adding Lorenzo's cloak only made that similarity all the more obvious and Luisa found she liked the idea of matching her father so closely.  
'Hmm, maybe that should be the first thing my list. A proper Condottiero Mark of Office.' Luisa muttered, turning and heading upstairs to speak with the three weakened survivors. 'I suppose I should be grateful that there are no where near as many missions to deal with.'  
'What's with the cloak, Luisa?' Philippe asked, coming towards her with little Bart toddling along beside him.  
'There's been a change of plans. Vanni and Renzo have left the city for a couple of weeks with Jolán and Charles and their children. Running the Christmas celebrations is on our shoulders.' Luisa explained, turning to him with a grin. 'It's too late to change it now; we just have to make the most of it and hope to avoid the disasters.'  
'We'll get through it. We've faced bigger challenges than this.' Philippe grinned, resting one arm around her shoulders. 'You don't have to handle it alone, I'll be right here for you.'  
'I'm going to need your strength, Philippe. This is the first time in years that everyone will be together for the holidays. Not just Monteriggioni and Firenze but 27 as well.' Luisa sighed, leaning into his strength happily. 'My damned brothers never even bothered to tell Evie, Jacob and Henry of their plans to leave.'  
'Well, we'd best go tell them. Mercede was planning on testing them to see if they were Eden carriers but she hasn't had time yet.' Philippe nodded, guiding Luisa up the stairs and towards the infirmary.  
'I never even thought about doing that.' Luisa shrugged, patting the Sword she wore on her hip. 'I have a feeling that the Frye twins are but I'm not so sure about Henry.'  
'Only time will tell, my dear.' Philippe agreed, not really concerned that he wasn't an Eden carrier. 'So have we figured out where they belong in the grand scheme of the family?'  
'Si, I was going to announce it over dinner but I also thought it would be nice to tell the trio early so they could adapt to the idea.' Luisa replied, relaxed and in total control as they approached the bedroom.

Entering the room, Luisa snapped one hand out to stop the servants dropping to their knees and looked around slowly to get a feel for the situation. She barely knew the three newest Assassins in the city, she was always so busy with her family and her mercenaries that there simply hadn't been enough time to get to know the trio as well as she would have liked. There was nothing for it though, she would just have to make the best of the situation and learn on the fly like she always did. She was nothing if not adaptable; this was just another challenge to be surmounted with her usual tenacity and determination. She wasn't a social butterfly, but she could still be polite and set a good example of her family.  
'Oh, buongiorno Signora.' The older woman offered, looking up from a book she was reading.  
'Buongiorno Signora Frye.' Luisa smiled, padding towards her. 'I am Luisa Auditore, third sibling and first daughter. This is my husband Philippe and our son Bartolomeo.'  
'I'm Evie Frye, that's my brother Jacob and our friend Henry Green.' Evie smiled, pointing to the men tucked up in their beds.  
'Isn't that Giovanni's cloak?' Jacob asked, reclined on a pile of pillows.  
'Si, it's the City Leader's cloak. Vanni and Renzo have left the city with their partners and children, leaving the city in my hands until their return.' Luisa nodded, looking around slowly. 'I trust that won't be a problem for any of you.'  
'Not at all. We are just grateful to have a safe place to call home.' Henry replied, smile growing as little Bart climbed up onto the bed. 'Hello there.'  
'Buongiorno Signore.' Bart chirped, looking up at Henry with a grin. 'You look different.'  
'Bartolomeo, be nice.' Luisa warned, shocked by what he'd just said.  
'But madre, he's clearly not Italian, Turkish or Levantine.' Bart replied, turning to his mother for answers.  
'I am Indian.' Henry offered, amazed by how smart this little boy was.  
'Where's that?' Bart asked, turning back to Henry.  
'I'll get a map.' Philippe chuckled, leaving the room quickly.  
'Remember your manners, Bart.' Luisa smiled, padding over to settle near Evie. 'I don't know where he gets it from. He's only four and so full of curiosity. Philippe and I can barely keep up with him.'  
'Henry is a smart man, I have a feeling he'll keep Bart entertained for hours.' Evie chuckled, looking up from her book again. 'He certainly knows some big words for one so young.'  
'It's just a pity that some people here see fit to swear in front of the children. Bart has picked up curses from all corners of the world, thanks to loud-mouthed Assassins that can't control their tongues.' Luisa shrugged, settling back in her chair. 'Some are worse than others but thankfully Bart knows not to use the words he picks up from some people.'  
'Perhaps you should keep him away from Jacob then. He can get rather…colourful with his language.' Evie warned, marking her place and setting the book aside.  
'Bart spends time around sailors, I doubt Jacob could produce anything worse than those filthy mouths.' Luisa replied, glancing towards Jacob with a grin. 'That said, I don't want to hear that any of you are teaching my son bad habits.'  
'Wouldn't dream of it.' Jacob promised, meeting Luisa's gaze across the room. 'Our thanks for all your kindness.'  
'You are family, Jacob. It has taken all this time but we finally figured out exactly where you fit into the grand scheme of the family.' Luisa smiled, turning to him as Philippe returned with a map for Henry and Bart.

Thinking it over carefully, Luisa stood and offered her hand to Evie with a smile. Helping her up, Luisa supported her gently and padded over to Jacob's bed, already feeling the strong connection to her descendants and wondering just how much better it could be between them all. Unhooking her sword and setting it aside safely, Luisa toed off her boots and climbed onto the bed, drawing Evie up beside her as she crawled across the fine covers. Settling back beside Jacob, Luisa smiled softly as she eased one arm around him and held him close with the lightest of pressure. He offered no resistance, resting his head on her shoulder and sighing softly as he relaxed into her presence. Evie took a few moments to settle but she eventually hummed softly as she settled against Luisa's side and reached out to take Jacob's hand loosely.  
'This feels so right. Even more so than when I was resting in Giovanni's arms.' Evie remarked, confused by these feelings.  
'I'm not surprised, Evie. We've been working hard to figure out where you all fit in the complex family tree we've got within this city but we finally found the right place late last night.' Luisa smiled, looking up at the family tree embroidered above them.  
'Well, are you going to tell us or not?' Jacob asked, stroking Evie's knuckles lightly to reassure her.  
'In the 1800s, Signora Luisa Auditore V travelled to England to meet her fiancé for the first time. She didn't much care for the man that was to become her husband, calling him a vulgar, decrepit fool in her journal. Rather than spend her life married to him, she fled the house in the middle of the night wearing just her Assassin robes and disappeared among the common folk, making her way out of London to settle in Croydon. There she found a man that matched her wit and charmed her completely before proposing marriage under the full moon. She accepted readily, throwing away her noble heritage to become Lydia Frye. They settled into a comfortable life, taking on missions and doing their best to further the Assassin cause even when she fell pregnant. Eventually she stepped back from missions and birthed a healthy baby boy that they decided to name Ethan. A devoted mother, Lydia worked even harder to make sure her son had everything he could need to grow up a respectable Assassin and husband. She was there to see Ethan wed his chosen wife, Cecily, watching over the young couple and stepping in to raise her grandchildren when Cecily died after bringing her twins into the world.' Luisa explained, letting the twins think about what she'd just told them and draw their own conclusions.  
'Are you…we're actually related?' Jacob swallowed, looking up at Luisa. 'We're connected with the Auditore family?'  
'Yes Jacob, you're part of the Auditore family.' Luisa confirmed, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. 'You're not alone against the world anymore; you've got a huge family to stand with you now.'  
'Is that why we feel so safe here? Somehow we've always known that we belong here?' Evie asked, snuggling closer to Luisa.  
'It's possible, Evie. Whatever the reason, we're glad to have you with us now. We'll take care of you, you'll never want for anything again.' Luisa promised, enjoying the closeness with her family. 'We also discovered Henry's connection. He's not related to the Auditore but he does fit into another highly skilled family of Assassins.'  
'So long as you're certain that our marriage won't cause any confusion with the family tree.' Evie nodded, lifting her head to gaze at Henry.  
'No, the only connection between his family tree and ours is through marriage. There's no shared blood to worry about.' Luisa chuckled, tugging Evie back down. 'I just hope you're ready to meet the rest of the family you've just inherited.'  
'Surely there will be time for that later.' Jacob protested, far too comfortable to consider moving.  
'The entire family is gathering for Christmas, some have already arrived and the rest will turn up in the next few days. I know this is a lot for you to take in but I couldn't imagine having a family feast without you there to enjoy it.' Luisa nodded, stroking Jacob's shoulder lightly. 'The feast isn't until Friday so we've got a few days to get everything sorted out.'  
'You mean I can finally get out of this room?' Jacob asked, excitement clear in his voice. 'I'm so tired of these same four walls.'  
'A temporary reprieve at best, Jacob. You've still got plenty of healing to do, but we'll try to keep you amused.' Luisa grinned, perfectly content to stay right here. 'The tailor should be up shortly, you will all need new clothes for the feast.'  
'Obviously you'll seat Evie and Jacob near us for the feast but where are you thinking of seating Henry?' Philippe asked, setting the framed map aside for now.  
'Probably in between Shane and Volpe, you know I like to keep the families together.' Luisa replied, thinking it through for a moment. 'Or perhaps between Volpe and Mary…no, that's a bad idea.'  
'That's the family line? Volpe, Mary, Henry and Shane…this is going to be interesting.' Philippe remarked, shaking his head slowly.  
'I triple checked it, there's no mistaking the line. Henry is descended from Italian and Irish Assassins and helped to forge a deadly line of American Assassins.' Luisa sighed, still not too thrilled about that line. 'We'll just have to do the best we can to keep the peace.'  
'I dread to think how Gena will react.' Philippe chuckled, resting one hand on Henry's shoulder. 'It's nothing bad, my friend, just the surprises of family. I'm thinking you had no idea about the secrets hidden in your story.'  
'No, I never guessed that I had such an extensive family.' Henry replied, watching Bart playing with a puzzle box Philippe had pulled from his pocket.  
'I doubt Gena will be laughing for long, amore. Not now that we've discovered she'd related to Liam O'Brian and Charles Vane as well as Leo.' Luisa added, earning a snort of amusement from Philippe. 'It's a good thing we got a bigger table for the grand hall. We're going to need it.'

Lifting her head at a knock at the door, Luisa sighed softly and reluctantly untangled from between the twins to properly face the small group waiting just outside the door. Rolling her eyes as she sat up, Luisa glared at the trio at the door and flicked her hair back over her shoulder calmly. They had all been with the family since they moved to Italy and sometimes that familiarity resulted in unfavourable behaviour.  
'Oh, grow up. It's no different to cuddling with my younger siblings when they need some attention. You wouldn't be giggling like teenagers if I was cuddling Vincenzio, this is no different. Jacob is family and feeling miserable so I did what any good sister would.' Luisa sighed, scooting down to the end of the bed and flipping to her feet.  
'Of course, Signora Luisa. Where would you have us start?' Manfredo asked, bowing his head respectfully. 'I have completed all the Christmas outfits for the men; Silvio will deliver them this afternoon.'  
'Good, I was starting to worry they would not be ready.' Luisa nodded, accepting her Sword from Evie. 'Start with Henry, his outfit might test you a little more. Italian fashion won't suit, you'll need to figure out something that celebrates his sub-continent heritage.'  
'I'm sure I can make something that will suit.' Manfredo replied, making his way towards Henry. 'The measuring would be easier if you were standing but I can work with this.'  
'I can stand but I require help.' Henry smiled, sitting up slowly. 'I must take care but the doctors say I am healing well.'  
'I can handle it, amore. You focus on your family.' Philippe nodded, getting up and helping Henry shuffle to the side of the bed.  
'Dottore Gennaro, I need to know just how much you will permit Jacob to do regarding the holiday feast. He will be at the table with everyone else but the rest I leave in your hands.' Luisa continued, shooting Jacob a grin over her shoulder. 'Everyone is eager to meet the newest arrivals.'  
'I believe he will be well enough to walk down to the grand hall and sit with everyone else but I will need to check to be certain.' Gennaro replied, entering the room and approaching Jacob's bed. 'I'll bet you like the sound of that.'  
'More than you know.' Jacob agreed, relaxing back into the pillows as Gennaro peeled the blankets back and started peeling away the thick bandages.  
'All you young Assassins are the same, always in a hurry to get nowhere in particular.' Gennaro chuckled, pulling a biohazard bag out of his kit and tossing the dirty dressings into it. 'You're still a long way from being mission ready, young man.'  
'That won't stop him for long, Dottore. Jacob is a typical Auditore, bad case of itchy feet and a deep need to keep moving.' Luisa smirked, looking at the healing wounds all over Jacob's torso. 'Damn, I think we have a new Scar Champion in the city.'  
'Scar champion?' Evie asked, looking at the rack of dresses that Prisca had rolled in.  
'It's a running joke that my father and uncle started when they were young. Every year, they would tally up their scars and whoever had the most would be crowned Scar Champion for the coming year. They taught the game to the next generation and we keep it going as a way to remember them now that they're gone. Last year I won it but I can't compete with that collection.' Luisa explained, rolling up the sleeves of her shirt to reveal dozens of small scars littering her arms. 'See if there's anything there that you would wear, Evie. Those were made for the women of the house and that includes you now.'  
'These are so fancy, I'm not sure I'll be able to make any of them look good.' Evie fretted, lifting a sleek red dress off the rack. 'Don't you have anything simple? These aren't my style at all.'  
'It's only for one day, Evie. I hate wearing gowns too but for high days and holidays, it's expected of us.' Luisa offered, coming over to Evie and flicking through the assortment on display. 'I'm much happier in my standard wear but this is the first time in years that we've had almost the entire family together and everyone is expected to make an effort.'  
'I'll make an effort but I have no idea which one would suit.' Evie sighed, putting the red dress back and lifting down a silver one.  
'No, silver will make you look even paler. Here, this one would work nicely.' Luisa guided, selecting a soft blue dress and holding it up. 'It highlights your eyes and suits your skin tone.'  
'You really think so?' Evie asked, accepting the dress and holding it against her body.  
'There's a mirror just over there, take a look and see what you think.' Luisa pointed, going back to flicking through the rack for any other options.

Fronting the mirror and holding up the dress, Evie had to admit that it did look good on her. It didn't look anywhere near as uncomfortable as previous gowns she'd been expected to wear and she actually felt like a proper woman as she stared at her reflection. It was such a pity that she didn't have any jewellery or anything else to go with the dress, Evie knew she would look very plain and boring among the rest of the women at the feast.  
'What's wrong Evie? I thought you'd be happy.' Luisa asked, coming up behind her with a dark purple dress.  
'I have nothing to go with such a dress.' Evie sighed, looking away quickly.  
'You can borrow some of my jewellery and I'm sure someone will have some shoes you can wear.' Luisa grinned, wrapping one arm around Evie's shoulders and holding up the purple dress. 'My shoes will probably be too big for you but Eva's will likely fit.'  
'Thank you.' Evie nodded, going back to admiring the dress. 'I do really like this one.'  
'You look beautiful, Evie. It might be wise to try it on though, just in case Prisca needs to make any adjustments to it.' Luisa suggested, hanging up the purple gown again. 'It wouldn't do for you to show up wearing a poorly fitting dress.'  
'That makes sense.' Evie agreed, gathering up the trailing skirt and heading for the privacy screens in the corner. 'I might need some help with this.'  
'I'll be right there.' Luisa nodded, heading for the door and whistling sharply. 'Cesare!'  
'Right here, Signora.' He replied, emerging from the master bedroom. 'How can I be of service?'  
'Run to my chambers and fetch my jewellery chest, those black sandals that don't fit me and my pale purple stole.' Luisa instructed, wondering if those shoes would fit Evie. 'Quickly as you can.'  
'As you wish, Signora.' Cesare nodded, turning and hurrying away.

Already plotting out the perfect pieces for Evie to wear, Luisa crossed the room again and slipped behind the privacy screen to help with the dress. Gathering the soft fabric in her hands, Luisa slid it over Evie's raised arms and guided it over her thin body slowly. Unhooking the skirt from where it had gotten tangled, she smoothed out the skirt and ran up the zipper in the back to secure it.  
'Prisca, you're going to need to make some alterations.' Luisa called, straightening the sleeves and adjusting the collar.  
'I have my kit with me, so that's no problem.' Prisca replied, stepping behind the screens and looking at Evie. 'Hmm, let me have a look here.'  
'Relax Evie, Prisca is the best seamstress in the city. She'll soon have you looking like a princess.' Luisa grinned, brushing a lock of hair out of Evie's eyes. 'Make sure you keep a swatch or two, Prisca. We'll have to incorporate the same blue into Jacob's outfit somewhere.'  
'I have enough of this fabric left over for a tunic, I'll give it to Manfredo.' Prisca nodded, rearranging the bodice and tacking it into shape. 'There might even be enough to add a touch of this same blue to Henry's outfit.'  
'I would like that.' Evie agreed, accepting a helping hand to step up onto a low stool in the corner.  
'Signora, where are you?' Cesare called, waiting at the door like normal.  
'Right here Cesare.' Luisa guided, heading over to collect the items from him. 'Grazie Cesare.'  
'I live to serve, Signora.' Cesare bowed before leaving the area.

Padding back across the room again, Luisa paused for a moment and set the jewellery chest down on the table near the screens and opened it, gaze falling to a large sapphire ring in the middle of the top layer. Plucking it out, she headed straight to Jacob and settled beside him on the bed. He didn't have much to his name either, certainly nothing that would suit such a grand event and this ring hadn't been worn for years.  
'This ring belonged to my father; he left it to me when he died in the hopes that it would grace the hand of my husband. It doesn't fit Philippe and it seems a shame to keep it locked away all the time so I want you to wear it.' Luisa explained, taking his right hand and slipping the ring onto his second finger. 'Wear it with pride Jacob, you deserve it.'  
'I'll treasure it always, Luisa.' Jacob replied, admiring the heavy gold ring and watching the light bouncing off the sapphire. 'It's amazing.'  
'It suits you Jacob.' Luisa agreed, getting up and returning to her jewellery box. 'How's it going back there, Evie?'  
'I think we've almost got the fit. It's hard to be sure without shoes on though.' Evie replied, excitement colouring her voice.  
'Here, we'll give there shoes a try. They might fit, otherwise I'll keep looking.' Luisa guided, passing the shoes over and going back to sorting through her jewellery.

Selecting a set that would go nicely with the chosen dress and further highlight Evie's brilliant blue eyes, Luisa gathered it all up and slipped behind the screens again as she listened to Manfredo and Henry discussing his outfit. He knew what he wanted and wouldn't let Manfredo push him around, a skill that would help him immensely once he started to navigate the complex family structure of the city. Jacob kept adding his thoughts into the conversation as well, offering suggestions and recalling details from the past to help Henry get his point across at times.  
'I see no reason why Jacob can't join in with most of the festivities. However, if there are to be any wild games up the walls, he will have to sit out. It will be some time before Jacob is up to anything strenuous.' Gennaro declared, much to Luisa's amusement. 'And most definitely no swinging from the chandeliers this year.'  
'Si Dottore, no climbing the walls for Jacob. I will do my best to keep the celebrations from completely degenerating.' Luisa replied, still mostly focused on Evie. 'But considering that everyone will be here, I make no promises about the chandeliers.'  
'Climbing the walls and swinging from the chandeliers? Just what sort of a celebration is this?' Evie asked, looking up at Luisa.  
'Actually, that's fairly normal behaviour. Assassins have a little too much to drink and end up daring each other to do stupid things.' Luisa shrugged, scratching at her hair. 'Edward is one of the worst offenders, but I'll talk to him and see if I can't get him to rein it in this year.'  
'Don't forget to talk to the rest of the sailors around the city. They're all as bad as each other.' Philippe added, supporting Henry gently. 'I don't need to remind you about the Clutterbuck incident.'  
'I'll deal with them; they won't dare misbehave if the consequence is a loss of Livorno access.' Luisa nodded, helping Evie down off the stool. 'How do those shoes feel?'  
'Really good, they might be a little bit too big but it's not worth worrying about.' Evie replied, lifting her shirt a little to reveal the shoes.

Smiling softly, Luisa came around behind Evie again and placed the heavy sapphire and gold necklace around her throat carefully. Smoothing it out neatly, she circled around and slipped the matching ring onto her right hand before securing the bracelet around her left wrist. Reaching up again, she fastened the earrings into place and made sure they were straight before collecting the final piece of this magnificent jewellery set. Brushing Evie's hair back and pulling it into an elegant braid, Luisa removed the tiara from its box and polished the stones quickly before settling it on Evie's head and snugging it down securely.  
'You look magnificent Evie, a true Lady of the City.' Luisa praised, flicking the stole around Evie's shoulders and smoothing it out.  
'This is too much Luisa; these pieces must be worth a fortune.' Evie protested, looking at her reflection with tears in her eyes.  
'They are family heirlooms, Evie. You are family, so you have every right to wear them.' Luisa smiled, wiping away a fallen tear. 'Ready to show Jacob just how beautiful you look?'  
'Come on, I want to see you Evie.' Jacob called, itching to see his big sister in all her finery.

Accepting a helping hand to sit up a little more, Jacob relaxed back into the pillows and waited for Evie to emerge. He wasn't sure what to expect, he was so used to seeing her in standard Assassin robes that he really struggled to wrap his head around the idea of his sister getting all dressed up. The last time he'd seen her in a dress, they'd both come far too close to dying for the Assassins, trying to secure that damned Shroud. He didn't want to think about what might have happened had Henry not come to their aid that day.  
'You ready, Jacob?' Luisa asked, taunting him with the secret.  
'Yes, the suspense is killing me here.' Jacob replied, hating to be kept out of the loop. 'Come on Evie.'  
'Patience Jacob, this is a lot to take in.' Evie chuckled, sounding more than a little shocked.

Jaws dropped as Evie finally stepped out into view on Luisa's arm. In that moment, it was easy to forget that Luisa was actually a woman; she'd shifted into a male role so easily and put the spotlight fully on Evie. She looked beautiful, the dress hugging her in all the right places and highlighting her eyes perfectly. The jewellery only added to the effect, transforming her from humble Assassin to a grand Lady but she was still Evie.  
'Evie, you look amazing. You actually look happy in that dress, unlike the red gown I last saw you wearing.' Jacob smiled, amazed by how elegant his sister looked. 'Somehow I have to match that. It wouldn't do for me to look a tramp while my sister stands as a princess.'  
'We can make that happen, Jacob. There's enough of this fabric to make you a matching waistcoat and something for Henry as well.' Luisa nodded, walking the length of the room slowly. 'Still liking the shoes?'  
'They are very comfortable, if a little flimsy compared to what I'm used to.' Evie smiled, spotting the ring on Jacob's hand. 'There's more to this set?'  
'Si, my parents had it all made as a shared set. There's another necklace, cravat pin and a hair clasp to match the rest of it. This is everything in mother's set; the rest belonged to my father.' Luisa grinned, patting Evie's hand lightly.  
'Somehow I doubt Jacob will ever wear a hair clasp. He can't stand his hair getting too long.' Evie chuckled, glancing towards her brother. 'I just can't see you with long hair.'  
'Some men can't make it look right. That's okay though, there's nothing saying you can't wear the clasp instead.' Luisa shrugged, watching Manfredo for a moment. 'Well if you're finished with Henry's measurements, you might as well make a start on Jacob's.'  
'Si Signora, I was planning on that.' Manfredo replied, slinging his measuring tape around his neck. 'Did I hear correctly, you want a waistcoat for Jacob?'  
'Waistcoat and tails, Manfredo. Proper attire for a Victorian gentlemen and it must have at least a touch of Auditore purple clearly visible.' Luisa confirmed, turning her focus to Jacob with a grin. 'It's only for one day Jacob, you'll be fine.'  
'As you say, Signora.' Manfredo replied, dipping his head to her. 'I will speak with Paolo regarding a suitable hat.'  
'Marketing me as the next eligible bachelor, are you?' Jacob asked with a sparkle of mischief in his eyes.  
'Not at all, unless you want me to start asking around.' Luisa smirked, guiding Evie back out of sight and helping her undress. 'There are still a few single women out there.'  
'I'll pass, got too many other things to think about right now. There's no way I could do right by a woman.' Jacob replied, relaxing back into his pillows again. 'Perhaps when I've regained my strength.'  
'Smart move Jacob, no point rushing through anything.' Philippe agreed, leaving Bart playing and moving to help Manfredo get the measurements he needed.

Getting Evie back into her daily wear and placing the jewellery safely in the small chest on the dresser near the windows, Luisa folded the stole loosely and placed it in the top drawer of the dresser. Pleased to note that Evie had at least been investigating the makeup on the dresser, Luisa turned back to the trio as she checked her watch subtly.  
'Oh, the men will be waiting.' Luisa jumped, turning for the door. 'I'll be back later; my mercenaries will be waiting for their leader.'  
'I'll keep things under control here.' Philippe nodded, looking up from his measuring. 'Be safe out there, my love.'  
'You worry too much, Philippe.' Luisa chuckled, darting out of the room and launching over the balustrade.

*~(^)~(+)~(^)~(+)~(^)~*

Returning from the training ring after several hours sparring with her mercenaries, Luisa headed straight into her smaller office just inside the villa and placed her Sword safely on the shelf behind her desk before turning to grab the first aid kit she always kept beside her desk. Setting it on the desk, she opened it and pulled out everything she would need to tend to her many wounds. She had no doubt that her men would be talking about today's training for weeks to come, the four who had managed to breach her guard treated to round after round of ale as they recounted the fights and their quick steps that had beaten Luisa back. Any other Condottiero would have been angered to be bested by their own men but Luisa encouraged them to try and beat her, offering a bonus to any man who could make her bleed and coaxing them to keep trying to put her in the dust.

Hooking a chair with her foot and tugging it closer, Luisa stripped down to her chest wrap and breeches, tossing everything else into a pile beside the desk to be washed later. Turning to fetch the water bowl sitting on the table near the door, she jumped at the sight of Jacob standing there, the bowl in his hands and several cloths draped over his shoulder.  
'What are you doing down here, Jacob?' she asked, moving back a step and motioning for him to put the bowl on her desk.  
'I wanted to talk to you alone. Dottore Gennaro said it would be fine, so long as I was careful.' Jacob replied, padding over and setting the bowl down carefully. 'Cesare stopped me in the hall and asked if I would bring these cloths in, he said he'd seen you all bloody.'  
'We can't hide anything from him.' Luisa grinned, starting to unwind the bandages wrapped around her left calf. 'Why don't you get comfy on the couch there while I clean up? Soon as I'm finished, we can talk for as long as you need.'  
'Is there anything I can do to help?' Jacob asked, toying with the cloths. 'I hate sitting around doing nothing.'  
'Well, I suppose you could wash my shoulder while I deal with this calf.' Luisa nodded, turning around to present her gashed right shoulder to him. 'The joys of my life and position, I'm always getting new injuries.'  
'I can do that.' Jacob smiled, dipping a cloth in the water and wringing it out quickly. 'May I ask what happened?'  
'Combat training with my mercenaries. My older brothers rule the city but I lead the military might of the city and that comes with certain dangers.' Luisa chuckled, tossing the dirty bandages aside and putting her leg up on the desk. 'I gave just as good as I got, don't you worry. My men know that I'm not one to mess around. I got four new scars but I gave out at least twelve in return.'  
'I would have thought your brothers wouldn't approve of that.' Jacob remarked, rinsing out the cloth and going back to gently washing the injury. 'Don't they want to protect you?'  
'Well sure, they do their best to keep me safe but after our father died, Vanni and Renzo forgot to consider who would take his place as Condottiero. I volunteered to take the title and they agreed that I was the best choice to take father's place at the head of our mercenary force.' Luisa agreed, washing off her calf and threading a needle. 'Someone had to do it and I had already proven that I had a military mind so the choice was easy. I'm the first female Condottiero in the region and that brings a certain level of pride.'  
'Along with a lot of problems, no doubt.' Jacob nodded, drying the wound carefully. 'There, all clean.'  
'Yeah, there are problems but nothing I can't handle.' Luisa admitted, looking over her shoulder quickly. 'There are some large adhesive dressings in the bag, just stick one over that for now. There are instructions printed on them, you'll figure it out.'

Reaching past Luisa to grab the dressing, Jacob's jaw dropped as he watched her calmly stitch up the deep gash in her calf without a sound. With a confidence that could only come from practise, she knotted off each stitch neatly and continued along the wound, pulling the edges close and ensuring a much smaller scar. Shaking his head quickly, Jacob snagged one of the dressings and looked closely at the instructions on the front. Nodding faintly, he ripped it open and peeled off the backing before carefully applying it over the wound, making sure not to get the adhesive into the wound.  
'Judging by that look, I'm guessing you've never seen anyone suture up their own injuries before.' Luisa chuckled, smoothing a second adhesive dressing over the sutures and lowering her leg.  
'No, I've sewn up Evie and she's taken care of my wounds but I've never seen anyone sew themselves up.' Jacob admitted; rinsing out the blood soaked cloth he'd been using.  
'It's another skill our parents insisted we learn. There's no telling when you'll be forced to take care of your own injuries.' Luisa shrugged, turning around and starting to wash the gash on her right side. 'Think you're up to suturing up that one for me? It's a bit awkward trying to do that one on my own.'  
'I can do that.' Jacob nodded, sinking down carefully in the nearest chair and reaching for the needle and thread.

Getting the wound clean, Luisa moved closer to Jacob and concentrated on keeping her abdominal muscles perfectly still as he sutured it closed for her. His stitches weren't exactly neat or precise but they would do the job to seal the wound and keep it secure until she healed up again. He also didn't make each one separate; he used one long thread to close the wound and tied the ends of the thread together to keep it secure. Luisa could hardly wait to see what kind of a scar the differing technique would leave her. As he worked on that wound, she cleaned the small gash on her forehead, rinsing out the debris and closing it with a couple of sterile tape strips. As it was, it looked like she'd lost half her left eyebrow, the hair no longer able to grow for all the scar tissue there.  
'There, all done.' Jacob grinned, smoothing another dressing over the wound.  
'It's a good thing I don't care about my looks so much.' Luisa chuckled, washing the last traces of blood from her face. 'Now, you said you wanted to talk about something?'  
'It can wait, you should rest.' Jacob shrugged, dropping his gaze suddenly.  
'Nonsense, I'm fine Jacob. I've had worse and will probably get worse before I retire.' Luisa grinned, reaching down to take his hands lightly. 'Come on, up you get.'

Helping Jacob up and over to the couch, Luisa settled back comfortably and smiled softly as Jacob eased down beside her. She could tell something was bothering him, exactly what was still a mystery but she wasn't about to leave him to deal with it alone. Shifting around so her back was in the corner, she reached out and gently guided Jacob into her embrace; resting his head on her shoulder and wrapping him in a full body embrace. He offered no resistance, sagging into her and stretching out on the couch with a soft sigh as he closed his eyes.  
'Talk to me Jacob. What's got you so upset?' Luisa coaxed, running her fingers through his hair slowly. 'Come on, you can trust me with whatever is bothering you.'  
'Why?' Jacob uttered, huddling into her arms a little more as he started to shake. 'Why me? Why us? Why this?'  
'I don't know, Jacob. I wish I had answers for you but sadly there are none to be had.' Luisa sighed, resting her cheek against his hair and running her free hand along his arm. 'I can only guess but I doubt that will help.'  
'I can't forget what they did to us. I want to but every time I close my eyes, I hear Evie screaming and Henry begging for help but no one answers.' Jacob whispered, clutching at her desperately but still careful not to hurt her further.  
'I've got you Jacob, you're safe here. I know it's tough but I also know that you're stronger than those bastards. The road ahead will be hard but you're not alone. I'm here and I'll do whatever I can to help you through this.' Luisa soothed, wracking her brain for answers but she kept coming up with nothing.  
'I keep hearing them laugh. I can still feel the agony of my torment and hear them taunting me as I try to escape.' Jacob continued, shuddering at the memories. 'Help me, please. I can't do this.'  
'I'm right here Jacob, you're safe in my arms.' Luisa promised, hating that she couldn't do anything to help him. 'Let go, I won't let you fall. Just let go, I'll be right here to put you back together.'  
'I'm afraid to let go.' Jacob breathed, squirming closer to her warmth. 'I'm scared that I'll lose myself.'  
'I won't let that happen. I'm here, I'll be right here always. Let go Jacob, I'll keep you safe.' Luisa nodded, hugging him closer while being careful not to cause him further pain. 'Everyone is worried about you, waiting for the moment you fly apart. Let go, you'll feel better afterwards, I promise. It's not healthy to hold all that pain and suffering buried inside. Let it out so you can properly focus on recovering your strength.'

It took a little while but finally Jacob relaxed into Luisa fully and tucked his face into the side of her neck as his breath shuddered from his lungs. Crooning softly to reassure him that he wasn't alone anymore, Luisa held him tenderly and caressed any skin she could reach as the first hot tears tricked down her throat. Almost silent to start, Jacob's grief, anguish and frustration finally started to bubble out, half-clear words rumbling against her skin as he grew louder.  
'That's it, let it all out. I've got you, you're safe here.' Luisa coaxed, ignoring the silent tears falling down her cheeks. 'I'm right here; no one can hurt you now. Let it out, I'll be right here always.'  
'It hurts…so much…' Jacob choked, completely falling apart in her arms.  
'Life will get better Jacob. This pain is only temporary.' Luisa promised, tucking him closer and humming softly in his ear. 'I'll take care of you, no matter what.'

Ignoring everything else in favour of Jacob's mental recovery, Luisa held him all the tighter and rocked him slowly as his quiet angst grew into a storm of emotion. Luisa had seen men break before, she's been there for so many when they needed a rock but Jacob's pain was so much harder to bear. She couldn't understand most of what he was saying but the pain, anguish and self-disgust were blatantly obvious to her. From screaming in anger to howling in anguish, he jumped from one extreme emotion to another, dragging her along for the ride without complaint. Luisa merely held him even tighter, offering comfort and support with every traumatised word. She would see him through this, no matter how long it took or what it cost her personally.

Feeling him sag, she cradled him tenderly and repositioned him for comfort as his heart-wrenching cries gradually petered out. Shivering against her, he shifted into a more comfortable position and sighed brokenly as he hugged her close. Toying with his hair and feeling his muscles relax; Luisa smiled faintly as he snuggled in against her and relaxed completely. She could feel his exhaustion, the faint twitches in his muscles slowing as he resettled and found his centre.  
'We missed one. He's no Assassin but he's still special.' Jacob muttered, burying a yawn in her shoulder. 'I miss Freddy.'  
'Freddy? Who is Freddy?' Luisa asked, worried that Giovanni had missed someone in that trailer.

The only response she got was a soft snore from Jacob, his body giving up the fight at long last. Smiling softly, Luisa snuggled back into the corner a little more and continued to stroke Jacob's hair, perfectly happy to act as his pillow and mattress as he caught up on much needed sleep. She would have to look into this Freddy, whoever he was. Something about the way Jacob spoke of him hinted at a deeper connection between them.  
'Sergeant Frederick Abberline, a London policeman who helped us immensely.' Evie offered, leaning in the doorway calmly. 'That's who he's talking about.'  
'I see. Well then, I'll have to see what can be learned about this Frederick Abberline.' Luisa nodded, mostly focused on Jacob. 'But he can wait; right now Jacob is the priority.'  
'I'm reasonably sure I saw him at the field hospital after our rescue. Certainly looked and sounded like him but Giovanni wouldn't let me verify his identity.' Evie sighed, coming over to crouch beside the couch. 'What happened with Jacob?'  
'He finally felt secure enough to unleash all the pain and anguish he's been living with. Ended up crying himself to sleep, but then, I'm not sure he's been sleeping properly since you were rescued.' Luisa sighed, continuing to idly play with his hair. 'It's a start but it's going to take a long time for him to fully recover.'  
'I had a feeling he was struggling but I didn't want to crowd him.' Evie admitted, watching Jacob sleeping peacefully. 'Now I'm starting to regret that choice.'  
'It's likely he would have pushed you away. He looks up to you; he wouldn't want you to see him fall.' Luisa shrugged, relaxing back into the cushions. 'If you would grab my laptop off my desk, I can start looking for Freddy in the liberation lists.'   
'Uh…remind me again what a laptop looks like.' Evie requested, making her way towards the desk.  
'It's about so big, red leather cover with my name and position on it around the Assassin crest.' Luisa guided, trying not to disturb Jacob as she showed the rough size of the laptop. 'I'll also need my cell phone, its hand sized with a matching cover.'  
'Ah, got them.' Evie nodded, collecting the two items and bringing them back to Luisa.  
'Thanks. There's a light blanket in the bottom drawer over there. I can feel Jacob shivering a little.' Luisa grinned, tucking her cell phone beside her and balancing her laptop on her thigh.  
'Found it.' Evie replied, retrieving the blanket and bringing it over to them.  
'Pull up a chair and let's see if we can find Freddy.' Luisa coaxed, helping to wrap the blanket over Jacob and tuck him in safely.

Bringing up the compiled data on all those who had been rescued in the Livorno battles, Luisa made sure Jacob was still sleeping peacefully as Evie came back with a stool from the corner and settled beside the couch. Activating the search program, Luisa shifted a little and glanced at Evie as she started to narrow the field.  
'I'll need your help here, Evie. Giovanni rescued thousands of people after the Livorno battles, each one carefully recorded and added to this database before being sent to various care facilities around the world. We'll go through this list together and if there are any details you can think of, just tell me and I'll add them into the search parameters. Hopefully we'll narrow it down to just a few photos for you to take a look at.' Luisa explained, hiding all the women and minors in the lists.  
'Okay, I'll do my best.' Evie grinned, snuffling closer and looking at the screen. 'He's a few years older than us, mid thirties I think. Brown hair and eyes. Thin build, about the same height as Jacob. Distinguishing marks? What's that all about?'  
'Any unique marks that could be used to identify him. Unusual scars, tattoos, birth marks or anything else that you can think of.' Luisa explained, stroking Jacob's hair lightly. 'In Jacob's case, his distinguishing marks would be the rook on his chest, the cross tattoo on his shoulder and scars on left cheek, right eyebrow and abdomen.'  
'Ah, now I understand.' Evie nodded, watching her brother for a few moments. 'Jacob would be the better person to ask about that, he and Freddy had a special relationship but I'll try.'  
'Any little detail will help.' Luisa guided, reaching out to tuck a lock of hair back behind Evie's ear.  
'Oh, he's got a really nasty scar on his ribs, down the left side. He got caught up in a gang war and a Blighter hit him in the side with a cleaver. Jacob and I bundled him into a carriage and took him to the nearest hospital for care.' Evie recalled, sitting up a little more.  
'That's really good Evie. Think back, what else can you remember about that day?' Luisa praised, adding in the new details and watching the database change. 'Anything at all, we've still got hundreds of men to sort through.'  
'Jacob drove the carriage while I tried to slow the bleeding. It wasn't easy to get Frederick partially undressed but I got it done. There was a scar just under his right shoulder, it looked like a bullet wound but it was old. He had another one low on his abdomen, like someone had tried to stab him in the kidneys from the front. Another bullet wound on his left side, just near the bloody gash.' Evie continued, eyes falling closed as she tried to remember that terrifying day. 'There was a tattoo of a clock on his right hip, I could only see part of it above his trousers.'  
'A clock? You're absolutely sure about that?' Luisa queried, confused by the tattoo design.  
'Yeah, I remember asking Frederick about it a few weeks later. He was a clockmaker in Dorset before joining the police.' Evie nodded, her ability to recall details amazing Luisa.  
'Ah, now that makes sense.' Luisa chuckled, typing in the details and rerunning the search. 'That's narrowed it down a lot. Anything else you can remember?'  
'Well, there is one thing but I don't want to get Jacob or Frederick in any trouble.' Evie sighed, looking away quickly.  
'Evie, I promise that nothing you say will get them in any trouble. You mentioned that they had a special relationship and I assure you, if it was sexual, it's no big deal.' Luisa promised, squeezing Evie's shoulder lightly. 'A lot has changed since the Victorian Era, things that were criminal in your time are totally legal now.'  
'A stylised J on the inside of his left bicep.' Evie uttered, turning back slowly. 'Jacob's got an F in the same place, that's how I figured it out.'  
'Well, we'd better do everything we can to get these two lovers back together.' Luisa grinned, typing in the last detail and smiling proudly as the results came back with one man matching the complete description.

Clicking on the offered result, Luisa turned the screen towards Evie as the two photos came up, showing both a portrait and profile of the suggested result. Leaning closer, Evie tilted the screen a little and gasped softly as she recognised the man in the photos. He looked so different but there was no mistaking it, he'd been in her grasp but he'd slipped through her fingers.  
'That's him. What have they done to him?' Evie uttered, staring in shock at the images. 'He looks… almost broken.'  
'We may never know, Evie. Thousands of horror stories have been written in the hearts and flesh of innocent victims. Horrors far worse than what you have suffered, worse even than Jacob's near fatal injuries. We have seen it all and do what we can to help the survivors but each must fight their own battle to get back on their feet.' Luisa sighed, turning the screen back to her and starting to read the attached profile. 'Initial care given at 27...transferred to recuperation centre attached to 27...psyche eval completed by Doctor Harklen…transferred to care of London Brotherhood…psyche eval completed by Doctor Williams…released under own cognisance…settled into Lambeth Borough…reports weekly for psyche assistance.'  
'What does that mean?' Evie asked, sagging against the couch and reaching out to take Jacob's hand lightly. 'Is he okay?'  
'He's coping, that's about the best that can be said based off these reports. He's at least accepting help for his mental trauma, so many try to do it on their own and end up giving up completely.' Luisa shrugged, soothing Jacob when he whimpered faintly. 'The fact that he is alive and apparently doing well is a testament to him.'  
'What do we do now?' Evie questioned, leaning into Luisa a little more.  
'This isn't your mission to run, Evie.' Luisa replied, grabbing her cell phone and typing a quick message as she wrapped her arm around Evie's back. 'I'll send one of my sisters to find him and try to convince him to return.'  
'And if he won't come?' Evie pushed, needing to know Luisa had several plans in mind.  
'I'll go over there and speak with him personally. I'm hoping that won't be necessary, there is still so much to be done here to be ready for the feast but if I must, I will go to him and do my best to convince him to come back.' Luisa grinned, relaxed and at peace. 'Take heart, Evie. I will not give up on this. One way or another, we'll get them back together.'  
'Thank you.' Evie whispered, snuggling into Luisa and closing her eyes.  
'Anything for family.' Luisa replied, perfectly content to hold the twins and wait for her sister to arrive. 'Rest now, you've done your part.'

Oblivious to the passing time, Luisa didn't really care about all the things she could have been doing right now. The Frye twins needed her right now, everything else could wait until they were properly taken care of.  
'You wanted to see me, sorella?' Eva asked, approaching the couch slowly.  
'Si, I have a special mission for you sorellina.' Luisa nodded, motioning her younger sister closer.  
'I'm ready for any mission you have for me, Luisa.' Eva insisted, taking a knee beside the couch.  
'You are to go to London, your focus is the Lambeth borough. Start at the District HQ, they should be able to point you in the right direction. I need you to find Frederick Abberline, one of the victims rescued from the Livorno battles and mistakenly separated from his friends. Be gentle with him, he has suffered greatly and will likely respond negatively to any aggression.' Luisa instructed, indicating her laptop. 'His profile is on the screen, email it to yourself so you have access to it beyond the network.'  
'Is there a timeframe for this mission?' Eva queried, turning the laptop to her and accessing Luisa's email to send the dossier.  
'No later than Christmas Eve. This is a Christmas surprise for Jacob, he misses Frederick and so we have to do all we can to reunite them.' Luisa nodded, turning her gaze to Jacob for a moment.  
'Very well, if I cannot convince him within two days I will contact you for help.' Eva agreed, pulling out her phone and checking that the dossier had come through.  
'Best of luck Eva.' Luisa smiled, confident that Eva could pull this off.  
'Grazie, sorella.' Eva grinned, leaning in to kiss Luisa's family ring before leaving the office.


	2. Finding Freddy

Rugged up against the winter chill, Eva kept her head high as she made her way through the back streets of Lambeth Borough. Her contact at the local HQ had pointed her towards a particularly seedy area and had offered her a guide and guard but she had dismissed his concerns, reminding him that she was an Auditore and accustomed to getting into and out of tricky situations on her own. He'd given her a look that clearly indicated his belief that he'd be sending someone to collect her corpse but Eva didn't let that bother her. She would succeed in her mission, no matter what London threw at her.

Turning down another narrow street, Eva's instincts flashed into overdrive at the sound of a brawl somewhere nearby. Breaking into a sprint, she reached into her pockets and slipped on the brass knuckles that she'd taken to carrying everywhere. They weren't essential but being only 21, Eva knew she still needed some help with packing a proper punch. They also meant that she didn't need to rely on her hidden blades anywhere near as much; the knuckles were enough of a threat on their own without the vicious blades projecting past her fists.

Swinging around another corner, Eva didn't even hesitate, crashing into the mob blocking the street and making her presence known. Falling into her training, she surrendered to the rhythm of the brawl and did everything in her power to push the mob away from the badly beaten man on the ground. Mindful of her feet, she punched, threw, blocked and kicked with unerring accuracy, scattering the mob and sending blood flying in every direction.

Feeling bone crack under her fists and listening to the pained groans and cries around her, Eva used her small stature to advantage, sliding clear of attempted grabs and going for vulnerable points as often as possible. It wasn't a fair fight, she was heavily outnumbered but she showed no fear, ducking a wildly swung knife and ramming her left fist into the exposed groin of another attacker. Twisting around, she kicked another man in the knee and used him as a vault platform to ram her right fist into the nose of another brawler.

Seeming to finally realise that they were outclassed, the few men still standing turned and fled, abandoning their friends in their mad rush to escape the violent whirlwind that had just been unleashed against them. Letting them go, Eva crouched to wipe her hands on the shirt of one of her victims and turned back to the poor man who had been at the heart of this ugly brawl. Head bowed, he struggled to his knees, one arm clutching at his ribs as he slumped and nearly fell but Eva was able to reach him before he hit the pavement again.

Easing to her knees, she let him rest against her as she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and tucked her brass knuckles away before starting to gently clear his face. Eyes widening as the clean up revealed a lucky surprise, Eva smiled softly and continued to tend to him with gentle hands.  
'Frederick Abberline?' she asked, dabbing at a nasty gash on his left cheek.  
'yes.' he muttered, tipping his head back to look at her through badly swollen eyes. 'You are?'  
'Eva Auditore, I'm a friend of Jacob and Evie Frye.' Eva smiled, moistening her handkerchief in the snow and dapping around his eyes. 'I bring you a message from them.'  
'Jacob…' Frederick whispered, eyes sliding closed again as he shivered.  
'He misses you terribly, Frederick.' Eva nodded, head snapping up at the sound of more voices nearby. 'Do you live nearby? Your attackers have found more friends and are coming this way.'  
'I did…no money for rent.' Frederick sighed, shaking his head weakly.  
'Never mind, I'll figure something out. Come on, up you get.' Eva replied, getting to her feet and gently wrapping her hands around Frederick's wrists. 'That's it, lean on me Frederick. I'm stronger than I look.'

Flinching slightly as Frederick let out an agonised cry as he tried to stand, Eva swore and eased him back down again. Thinking fast, knowing that they were running out of time, Eva guided Frederick's legs apart and crouched in front of him. Hoping that her strength held, she coaxed him to lean against her back and hold onto her cloak as she grabbed his thighs and pushed onto her feet. Horrified by how light he felt on her back, Eva turned and hustled away from the approaching mob.  
'I'm sorry, I'll try not to make you feel any worse. I'll take care of you now Frederick. You're safe now, I won't let those bastards touch you again.' Eva promised, recalling the maps she'd studied on the flight over and heading for the nearest taxi rank.  
'Why?' Frederick asked, holding on tight and whimpering with every jolt.  
'You need a friend and Jacob needs you.' Eva grinned, tightening her grip on him.  
'Can't face him.' Frederick mumbled, head drooping forward suddenly.  
'Whoa, steady there Freddy.' Eva yelped, pivoting carefully and propping him up on a handy rubbish bin. 'I don't know what happened between you two but right now, we need to get out of here. We can talk about everything else once we're someplace safe, okay?'  
'Okay.' Frederick nodded, leaning into her strength again with a pained groan.  
'Just a little further, then you can rest.' Eva coaxed, keeping a firm grip on him as they continued to walk. 'That's it, I've got you.'

Emerging from the back streets, Eva turned and headed straight for the waiting taxis parked nearby. Aiming for the nearest one, not overly worried if she upset the drivers further along the line, she ripped the back door open and turned around so Frederick could practically fall into the padded seat. Glancing down the alley to make sure they weren't followed, Eva rearranged him in the seat and jumped in beside him. Thinking fast, she told the driver to take them to the Italian consulate as fast as he could.  
'Rest now Frederick, they can't hurt you anymore. You're safe now, it's over.' Eva uttered, wrapping one arm around him gently. 'You don't have to worry about anything now.'  
'Thank you.' Frederick whispered, slumping into her again. 'Thank you.'  
'Anything for family, Freddy.' Eva promised, pulling out her phone and sending Luisa a message that she had located and secured her target.

Pulling up outside the consulate, the driver opened his door to help Eva get Frederick out but she waved him off and climbed out, motioning to the guards standing outside the consulate even as she paid for the trip and for him to get his cab cleaned before it started to smell. Turning and helping Frederick out of the cab, Eva lifted him onto her back again as one of the guards hustled down to provide protection as she climbed the stairs.  
'I am Eva Auditore da Monteriggioni! I seek refuge for this man, he is under the protection of the Auditore now!' Eva called, heading towards the nearest chair to set Frederick down.  
'You are both welcome here, Signora.' another man replied, approaching her quickly. 'There is a couch through here where your friend can rest while the Dottore is summoned.'  
'A female Dottore would be preferred.' Eva insisted, digging deep for strength when all she wanted to do was collapse. 'Almost there, Frederick. Almost there.'  
'Of course, Signora.' one of the staff members confirmed, turning to the nearest telephone.

Passing through the indicated door, Eva smiled at the older woman just smoothing a crisp blue sheet over the mentioned couch as she headed towards it. Easing Frederick down to sit on the couch, she dismissed the guard and tenderly helped Frederick out of his filthy jacket before helping him to stretch out at last.  
'That's it, now you can rest Frederick. Those bastards can't touch you now, you're on Italian soil and they can't get in.' Eva soothed, perching on the edge of the couch and stroking his hair softly.  
'Don't leave…please.' Frederick uttered, opening his eyes as much as he could.  
'I'm not going anywhere Frederick. I'll be right here beside you through everything.' Eva replied, shifting their positions so he could rest his head in her lap. 'I'll take care of you.'

Head snapping up as the door opened again, Eva's right hand flew to the throwing knives hidden under her cloak and pulled three out, arm cocked in readiness to throw but she stopped when she recognised the same staff member who had called the doctor.  
'Dr Fulgenzia Toscani is here, she's a fully trusted member of the staff here.'  
'Grazie.' Eva nodded, tucking the knives away smoothly. 'We appreciate your prompt arrival, Dottore Toscani. I do apologise if we pulled you away from anything important.'  
'Do not concern yourself, Signora. I am used to being called to the consulate at all hours.' Dr Toscani replied, entering the room and approaching the couch. 'Will you be able to assist me or will I need to summon my usual assistant?'  
'I can assist, Dottore. I am trained in first aid but we would both feel better knowing a qualified professional examined him.' Eva smiled, easing Frederick's head off her lap and standing. 'You're safe here, I'm not going anywhere.'  
'You're in good hands here, Signore.' Fulgenzia soothed, taking a knee beside the couch and resting one hand lightly on his elbow. 'This might sting a little but it will help ease your pain.'

Shedding her cloak and rearranging her weapons so they wouldn't get in the way, Eva rolled up her sleeves as Fulgenzia injected Frederick with something before getting to her feet. Watching over him, Eva couldn't help but smile faintly as he finally relaxed completely, the faintest smile pulling at his bloodied lips as he drifted peacefully.  
'Dottore, I urge you to take great care with this man. He has been tortured and traumatised, I do not know all the details but what little I do know is truly horrendous.' Eva warned, taking a knee beside Frederick and starting to remove his blood-soaked clothes. 'Shhh, you're safe Frederick. I'm right here, I won't let anything happen to you. You have nothing to be ashamed of, we just need to see how badly you're hurt.'  
'Okay, trust you.' Frederick mumbled, floating in a drug induced haze.  
'That's it, just relax and let your pain float away.' Eva chuckled, stroking his hair lightly for a moment. 'Find peace, you're safe here.'

Easing away each layer, using one of her knives to cut through the thin, stained cloth to avoid causing further pain or injury, Eva tossed it all into a pile beside her to be disposed of later. She could hardly believe Frederick's condition, he had clearly not been getting anywhere near the level of care that he needed. That was going to change though, Eva didn't care how hard it was or how long it took; she would take care of Frederick and get him back on his feet. As she worked to strip him, Eva verified his identity properly, making note of all his scars and tattoos so there could be no mistake about him. One of his tattoos had been severely damaged and now was mostly scar tissue but there was still enough detail for her to make out the J on his arm.  
'You did this man a great service, Signora.' Dr Toscani uttered, coming over with a pile of towels as two of the staff members carried over bowls of water and another set a table beside Eva.  
'No, my family failed this man. We had the chance to protect him but it slipped through our fingers. As such, he endured far more than he should have been forced to face.' Eva corrected, taking a smaller cloth from the pile and dipping it in the nearest bowl. 'We intend to correct those failings.'  
'I would not call that a failing, Signora. Merely human nature.' one of the staffers offered before bowing and leaving the room.  
'To us, it's a huge failing.' Eva whispered, continuing to tenderly wash the blood and grime from Frederick's face. 'But we'll make it right, I promise.'

*~(^)~(+)~(^)~(+)~(^)~*

Finally allowing her body to rest, Eva stretched out on the couch with a faint groan and looked at her wrapped knuckles. Dr Toscani had insisted on it before she left and really, Eva was too damned tired to argue about it. At least Frederick was resting peacefully, his multitude of wounds expertly tended and dressed. Some of the staff members had helped to bring him up to the apartment on the second floor of the consulate and had tucked him into the big bed to recover in safety. Eva couldn't believe just how badly Frederick had been beaten, his already poor condition hadn't helped matters but at least he was still alive. One thing was for certain, the Christmas reunion wasn't going to be as perfect as Luisa had hoped for.

Looking across the room again, Eva sighed softly as she watched Frederick sleeping and wondered briefly why he'd been targeted by that mob. It didn't really matter, she would continue to protect him but an explanation would help her better evaluate the situation and defend him from any threats. So long as they stayed in the consulate, the mob couldn't do anything and they could get a diplomatic car to take them to the airport once he'd made up his mind.

Dr Toscani hadn't been pleased to hear about the plan to leave London but Eva refused to fail this mission just because a Doctor more used to treating diplomats than Assassins argued. At least back in Monteriggioni, Frederick could get the dedicated medical care he needed without needing to fear his attackers discovering his location. He certainly needed dedicated care, the mob had really made a mess but there was no way Eva was going to force him to go to a hospital in London. There was too much of a risk that the men she'd beaten would be there.

She refused to think about how things might have gone had she not arrived when she did. She had no doubt it would have been a fatal mistake. Frederick had sustained a lot of injuries, most were superficial gashes and bruises but he would still face a trying recovery as broken bones knitted and dislocated joints strengthened again. Eight cracked ribs, five on his right side and three on his left; fractured left forearm, dislocated left knee and right ankle; four broken fingers on right hand; probable internal injuries…the list went on and Eva was left in amazement that he had even been able to hold onto her long enough to get to that taxi.

Getting to her feet when Frederick started whimpering in his sleep, Eva padded across the room and settled on the edge of the bed. Touching his uninjured cheek lightly, she started to softly hum a lullaby she'd learned from her mother. She briefly considered starting to sing but she wasn't sure if the Italian would comfort Frederick or not.  
'No…no…please…no…please…don't…' Frederick muttered, trembling in fear of whatever was going on inside his head.  
'Wake up Frederick. It's only a nightmare.' Eva coaxed, doing her best to restrain him without hurting him further. 'I'm here, you're safe now.'

Taking a risk, Eva gave him a sharp shake and quickly shifted her weight to securely pin his shoulders to the mattress. Flinching as he gave a heart-wrenching scream, Eva relaxed her grip a little and tenderly cupped his cheek as he looked around frantically.  
'Shhh, you're safe Frederick. It's over, I'm here.' Eva soothed, wiping the sweat from his face gently.  
'Eva…' Frederick uttered, face tight with pain.  
'Is everything alright, Signora?' one of the staffers asked, appearing in the doorway.  
'No, but there's nothing you can do.' Eva replied, glancing towards the door. 'Please give my apologies for the scare.'  
'As you wish, Signora.' he replied, closing the door quietly.  
'I…did I wake you?' Frederick whispered, looking up at her slowly.  
'No, I was still awake.' Eva smiled, reaching for the water jug on the bedside table and pouring some into the waiting cup. 'You have nothing to apologise for, so don't even start.'

Helping him to drink and tucking him back in safely, Eva considered her options for a moment before getting up and circling the bed. Kicking off her borrowed shoes, she climbed up onto the bed and stretched out beside Frederick, reaching out to drape one arm over his shoulders as she settled comfortably. Smiling softly as he wrapped his undamaged left hand over her forearm, Eva lightly stroked his shoulder and finally gave into her need for sleep.

*~(^)~(+)~(^)~(+)~(^)~*

'Feeling any better this morning, Frederick?' Eva asked, feeling much more awake and ready to face the challenges ahead.  
'Marginally.' Frederick replied, left eye cracking open. 'I still have a terrible headache.'  
'That's hardly a surprise.' Luisa grinned, lightly touching his sutured cheek. 'Feeling strong enough for a chat?'  
'I would certainly appreciate some answers.' Frederick agreed, leaning into her tough a little.  
'I can do that.' Eva nodded, perching on the edge of the bed. 'First of all, Jacob is alive and recovering from his injuries in Italy but he is unaware of my mission here or the fact that you survived. My older sister, Luisa, sent me to find you and offer you a choice.'

Getting her thoughts in order, Eva flexed her battered hands slowly and pulled her notebook from within her new jacket. For now she kept the therapy letter and video footage hidden, not totally comfortable with sharing those personal things just yet. They had arrived early that morning, delivered personally by Rufus and his beloved Black Raven, Luisa had suggested that they might help convince Frederick to return.  
'What sort of choice?' Frederick asked, relaxing back against the pillows supporting him.  
'basically, you can either stay here in London on your own or you can make a fresh start in Monteriggioni, safe among friends and back with familiar faces.' Eva replied, meeting his gaze steadily. 'Of course, I don't expect you to make that choice without all the facts.'  
'That's not much of a choice, Eva. You've witnessed just how good my life is here.' Frederick sighed, rubbing his aching ribs lightly.  
'Yeah, I've already submitted a report regarding the failings of the Lambeth HQ.' Eva nodded, reaching out brush his hair out of his eyes. 'I'm not trying to influence your decision in any way, that's not why I'm here. But honestly, you'd have a much better life in Italy.'  
'I know, I'm just not sure if I'm ready to face Jacob. Not after what happened in that prison camp.' Frederick nodded, shuddering at the memory. 'I…how do I tell him?'  
'I don't have the answers, Frederick. I wish I did but I'm barely an adult. The only suggestion I can give is for you to just be honest. Forget about that stiff upper lip crap and talk about what's wrong. You're both feeling vulnerable, the only way you'll ever make things work is if you talk it through.' Eva offered, hating to see him suffer but there was nothing she could do. 'You're both strong men, I have no doubt you can get through this together.'  
'You are wiser than you believe, Eva.' Frederick offered, smiling softly at her.  
'I have my moments.' Eva chuckled, taking his uninjured hand lightly. 'Most of it I learned from my mother, God rest her soul, the rest came from my siblings and friends.'  
'Tell me more about Jacob, please.' Frederick requested, squeezing her hand softly. 'I need to know.'  
'He's healing remarkably well, considering how close he was to death.' Eva replied, tucking her notes away for now and trusting her heart. 'I actually have a video here, recorded by my eldest sister and couriered here overnight. It might help you better understand just how fragile Jacob is right now. I know that's not a word you'd normally associate with Jacob but it's the truth.'  
'You're right, I'd never think of Jacob as fragile and I've seen him in some messes before.' Frederick agreed, eyes filled with shifting emotions. 'What happened to him?'  
'We're not exactly sure how many people were involved but the phrase "gutted like a fish" fits rather well. He's lucky to have survived, lesser men would have probably succumbed to the pain and fever but not Jacob.'  
'That's typical, always getting in over his head but somehow surviving it.' Frederick chuckled then winced as his ribs protested the humour.  
'This goes far beyond anything you've ever seen him survive.' Eva warned, getting up and retrieving a borrowed laptop. 'I had a feeling you'd want to see him so I've already got the video set up.'

Settling back on the bed, Eva slipped one arm loosely around Frederick's shoulders as she placed the laptop in front of them. Opening it up and adjusting the angle, she shuffled a little closer and glanced at Frederick for second before clicking on the play button. For a moment the screen was blank but then they were faced with a shot of the recovery room in the villa.  
"Jacob, are you awake?" Luisa called softly, pausing in the doorway. "Jacob?"  
"Yeah, I'm awake Luisa." Jacob replied, lifting one hand in greeting. "Hard to sleep just after Gennaro's visits."  
"Feeling up to another video diary?" Luisa asked, approaching his bed. "Henry and Evie won't be back for a while so we've got privacy. Remember, you can talk about whatever is on your mind and it only becomes public record if you allow it."  
"I want this one to be public." Jacob nodded, offering out his hand. "I want people to know about my Freddy."  
"Alright, I'll list this one in the public archives." Luisa agreed, setting the camera down and helping Jacob to sit up and get comfortable. "Whenever you're ready."

Dropping his gaze for a moment, Jacob shivered faintly as he lightly touched one of the bandages wrapped around his abdomen. Taking a deep breath, he lifted his head and looked straight into the camera with the faintest smile on his lips.  
"I guess we all have that one person we'd do anything for, one person that we'd give anything to spend time and protect. Be they family, friend or total stranger, we've all got someone special. In my case, it was Sergeant Frederick Abberline…Freddy…" Jacob paused and swallowed heavily, looking away from the camera again. "Freddy was…a truly special man. We came from totally different backgrounds, believed in completely different things but he still agreed to help. He was always a proper gentleman, perfect manners and suitable clothes no matter when or where we saw him. Wasn't always a suit and tie, he would often go undercover in some rather…unusual outfits but I always knew it was him. I'll never forget the first time we met, he came up to us wearing a dress and bonnet, pretending to be an elderly lady but his mutton chops gave him away."

Turning his left arm to reveal the F tattooed there, Jacob smiled softly as he traced the letter and looked towards the camera once more.  
"Freddy and I, we had our moments, ups and downs like any couple I suppose. I made a lot of mistakes, making work for him but he always forgave me eventually. Even when I punched him and kidnapped him off his own investigation, he forgave my mistake and let me help stop a robbery. I think that was the moment that I realised that I cared for Freddy more than anyone else in my life, well apart from Evie. I never said anything though, such things weren't spoken about and I didn't want to risk Freddy's freedom if anyone else found out." Jacob continued, still tracing over that one shared mark.  
'You didn't need to say anything, I already knew.' Freddy whispered, staring at the screen.  
"It wasn't until I almost lost him that I realised just how much I had grown to care about Freddy. I'd never felt truly helpless before, but that night, having to stand back and wait for news about his survival chances, I genuinely feared that I would lose him. The relief I felt when one of the nurses told me he would live was indescribable. Evie wasn't impressed that I spent so much time at the hospital but I didn't care, I needed to be there for Freddy." Jacob sighed, dropping his gaze to the tattoo he so proudly wore.  
'I needed you to be there. You became my strength during that mess.' Freddy uttered, reaching out to lightly touch the screen.

Watching Frederick as much as she was watching the footage, Eva smiled softly as she got a chance to see just how much Frederick cared about Jacob. This wasn't some lusty romance without a solid foundation, no this was a genuine romance between two men that respected and loved each other. Eva had a feeling that the sex was an added bonus but not totally necessary for them to enjoy what they had together.  
"I'll never forget the night I finally grew some balls and admitted what I felt. I still couldn't believe that Freddy actually came on the train with me, willingly stepping into the heart of Assassin territory with no idea what he was getting into. He was more fascinated than worried, staying right behind me until we got to my carriage. We sat, drank a few beers and shared a few jokes, even though some of Freddy's were atrocious. I still laughed, it was nice to see him relaxed and happy for a change. Finally, I just looked at him and told him that I fancied him. At first he didn't know how to react, I could see it in his eyes that he wasn't sure if I was joking or not. It's funny, I'd planned this great speech but when the moment came, I just blurted it out and hoped for the best. It took a few minutes but Freddy must have finally realised that I wasn't joking, he calmly set his glass aside and grabbed for my tie. Things get a little hazy after that, I remember sharing sweet kisses and listening to Freddy moaning softly as we stretched out on the chaise. It would have been so easy to go too far that night, we both wanted it so much but I had more respect for Freddy than that. I hated to pull away but I did, not wanting Freddy to feel like I was rejecting him. He seemed to understand but he clearly didn't want the night to end right then either." Jacob smiled, wiping away the moisture on his cheeks quickly.  
'No, I would have given you everything that night Jacob.' Frederick admitted, getting a little teary-eyed at the memories.  
"I let him lead me to my bed, let him strip away my weapons and clothes layer by layer but he stopped right before the last layer came off and handed me the soft lounging pants I wore to bed. He looked so handsome in that moment, the faintest flush on his face as I pointed towards the wardrobe. I kept my back turned as I changed, wondering exactly what he had planned but willing to go along with it anyway. He came back to me with an older pair of lounging pants, ones I'd outgrown but forgotten to throw out and I understood. Setting his sleepwear aside, I took my turn, amazed by the intimacy I felt as I undressed him and put his weapons safely beside my own. I followed his lead happily, turning my back once he was down to just his undershirt and trousers and listened as he changed before nudging me towards the bed as he put out the lamps. Pulling back the covers and settling, I couldn't help but smile as he joined me in the bed, snuggling into my side and getting comfortable. Holding him like that, hidden away from the world in our own little private paradise…nothing quite compares." Jacob recalled, closing his eyes as he smiled again.

Not liking the look on Frederick's face, Eva paused the video and gently squeezed his shoulders in a supportive embrace. She wasn't sure if he was about to start crying or screaming, his face totally unreadable in that moment.  
'When can we leave? I need to be with him.' Frederick uttered, turning his attention to her.  
'This afternoon, there are a few things that need to be finalised before we can leave.' Eva replied, wiping his cheeks lightly. 'You need new clothes for a start, your old ones were unsalvageable.'  
'Thank you.' Frederick nodded, leaning into her a little more. 'I'm still worried about facing him but I can't take this anymore.'  
'Alright, I'll see if I can speed things up at all.' Eva offered, closing the laptop and slipping her arm free. 'I'll also see about getting us both something to eat.'  
'That would be nice…but would you leave the video open, please.' Frederick requested, shifting into a more comfortable position.  
'Of course.' Eva smiled, setting the laptop on the bed and opening it again. 'If you want to watch more, just tap this button and then tap it again to pause the video.'  
'No, I just want to look at Jacob again.' Frederick sighed, gazing at the screen fondly. 'I miss him so much. I thought I'd lost him…words can never express my gratitude.'  
'The feeling is mutual, I've heard him muttering your name in his sleep.' Eva chuckled, helping him take another drink before leaving him to his memories. 'True love is a powerful thing, Frederick. The love you share with Jacob reminds me a lot of the love I saw between my parents.'

*~(^)~(+)~(^)~(+)~(^)~*

'I must say, this is a vast improvement over my last flight.' Frederick remarked, reclined comfortably on the sofa along one side of the cabin.  
'That's what happens when money isn't an issue.' Eva chuckled, pouring them both a drink. 'You're part of the Auditore family now, Frederick. Perhaps not through blood, I'm not sure, but still part of the family.'  
'How does that work? You're either born into a family or marry into a different one.' Frederick started, managing to hold the offered glass between his thumb and splinted fingers. 'Or are you suggesting…that's preposterous!'  
'I'm not suggesting anything at the moment. The Auditore consider all their closest friends to be part of the family, welcoming them to come and go from our grand villa as if it was their own home. You have that same right now, our home is yours and I really hope you will find it comfortable.' Eva shrugged, returning to her chair. 'I wouldn't be so hasty about whatever you were thinking. The laws have changed Frederick, things you once considered criminal are now legal and accepted for the most part.'  
'Even relations between men?' Frederick asked, setting his drink down carefully.  
'Si, even that is legal now. We have several such relationships within our city, each couple made their vows in front of a proper priest in a church and proudly call each other husband.' Eva nodded, toying with her wedding ring. 'My second brother married a man, they recently adopted two baby girls to raise as their own.'  
'Sounds like your city is full of charitable people.' Frederick grinned, deftly changing the topic.  
'We certainly try to be. We run two orphanages, one within the city walls and one out in the country side. The children cycle between the two so they can experience both lifestyles and learn many new skills. We also offer financial support to the people living within our district, helping them with any equipment, building supplies or whatever else them may require.' Eva nodded, accepting the change and running with it. 'My oldest brothers may have inherited the city and surrounding lands but we all work together to ensure the people are happy. We know that without their support, our great city would quickly fall.'  
'You speak about your family in a strange manner.' Frederick noted, picking up his drink again and taking a sip. 'Oldest brothers and elder sister are unusual forms of address.'

Smiling softly as she stood, Eva pulled her phone out of her pocket and flicked through the photos she always kept on it. Finding the perfect one, she knelt beside the sofa and held it out to Frederick.  
'That's because there's twelve of us in my family. Six boys and six girls, just like our parents wanted. I'm right in the middle, daughter number 3 and child 6.' Eva explained, zooming in on the photo a little more. 'This was taken a few years ago, we were celebrating Vincenzio's twelfth birthday. There hasn't been a chance for a more recent one, my eldest brother has been away for five years.'  
'It must be hard having all those siblings.' Frederick replied, gazing at the photo with a grin.  
'Not really, we've learned to get along and our parents would raise merry hell if we were mean to each other.' Eva shrugged, looking up at Frederick. 'Our parents ensured that we would always remember to be kind and share with each other. Instead of dividing up their wealth, they left almost everything to all of us collectively. Some things were bequeathed separately but most we have to share and compromise with.'  
'Your parents sound very wise.' Frederick nodded, still admiring the photo. 'Do you have any photos of your parents?'  
'I think I have one.' Eva replied, going back to the main album and scrolling through. 'Ah, that's a good one. Valentines Day 2017.'

Now Frederick could understand where Eva's strength came from. Her parents were both strong and tall, holding each other close in front of a magnificent rose garden. Clearly they were fighters too, both bearing the scars of hard lives but still able to smile despite the difficulties they had faced. Her mother stood taller than her father, one powerful arm draped around his shoulders as he snuggled into her side, seemingly unconcerned about the height difference.  
'That's one of the rare photos taken of them in regular clothes.' Eva added, looking up at him with a grin. 'Most of the time they were seen in all their finery, doing their duties for the city.'  
'Sounds like they were very busy people.' Frederick commented, eyes widening as she flipped to another picture.  
'That's them in their courtly finery. Every day, they would dress up and walk among the people, talk with the tourists and generally promote the city.' Eva explained, looking closer at the photo. 'now, we all make that effort every day, reminding the people that Monteriggioni has survived for hundreds of years and is still in good hands.'  
'Will I be expected to wear something like that?' Frederick asked, looking at her again.  
'No, we share many historical stories at Monteriggioni. It's more likely that you'll be outfitted as a Victorian policeman.' Eva grinned, flipping through her photos again. 'We might be in the heart of Italy but that's never stopped us before.'  
'That's good to know.' Frederick replied, lightly rubbing his eyes. 'I don't really feel like learning any new personas.'  
'I don't blame you.' Eva agreed, getting up and grabbing a light blanket from an overhead compartment. 'For now, just focus on getting back on your feet. We'll be in the air for a few hours if you want to get some sleep. If not, I can always put the Jacob video on again. There's one particular section you really should watch.'  
'I thought it was finished.' Frederick smiled, settling back a little more as Eva draped the blanket over him lightly.  
'Not even close. He talked for over an hour about you, sharing memories and letting everyone understand just how precious you are to him.' Eva chuckled, grabbing the USB from her bag and plugging it into the TV mounted on the opposite side of the cabin.

Clicking through the chapters inserted into the video, Eva found the section that Luisa had insisted she show Frederick and returned to her chair as she started the playback again.  
"Jacob, I would like to ask you some questions. I want you to be honest with me and really think about your answers." Luisa requested, drawing Jacob out of his thoughts. "These questions will all relate to you and Freddy.'  
"Of course, ask away.' Jacob nodded, drinking deep and setting his water bottle aside.  
"If you had the chance, what would you be willing to sacrifice for Freddy?" Luisa asked, her voice betraying nothing of her thoughts.  
"I don't understand." Jacob replied, looking at her curiously. "I would give anything for a chance to have Freddy back, I thought I made that clear."  
"You did Jacob, but what I really want to know is just how far you would go for that chance." Luisa corrected, the camera wobbling for a moment. "Would you risk your dignity to take care of Freddy if he was hurt?"  
"Without hesitation." Jacob insisted, straightening up a little more.  
"Would you abandon your gang to fight on your behalf if Freddy needed you?" Luisa continued, still giving nothing away.  
"I have before and I would again." Jacob confirmed, totally certain of his answer.  
"Would you jeopardise a vital mission for the Brotherhood if Freddy asked you to?" Luisa prodded, making it very clear with her tone that she expected an answer.

Jacob froze, staring at the camera in shock and disbelief. Almost as though he couldn't believe Luisa was questioning his loyalty to the Assassins. Rubbing at his scarred cheek, Jacob looked away from the camera and sighed softly before turning back to Luisa.  
"I know for a fact that Freddy wouldn't ask such a thing. But should hell freeze over and he did, I would find a way to complete the mission without upsetting Freddy." Jacob declared, lightly brushing his F tattoo. "That I have done before, wasn't easy but I did it."  
"Good, that's what I was hoping to hear." Luisa replied, a note of pride in her voice. "Now, if you had the chance, what would you do to show Freddy just how much he means to you? In a world where anything is possible and nothing is off limits, how far would you go?"

Once again Jacob paused, toying with the expensive looking ring on his right hand as he lowered his gaze, muttering too quietly for the camera to pick up whatever he was saying. He looked so vulnerable at that moment, as though he didn't know how to answer such an important question.  
"Money is no issue?" Jacob asked, glancing up again.  
"This is all hypothetical, Jacob. Dream as big as you dare." Luisa guided, the camera wobbling for a moment. "Go on, show us all just how much you love your Freddy."  
"Well, first I'd buy him a new carriage and the finest horse to pull it. I'd hire the best driver and footman as well, to make life easier for Freddy. A new house away from the centre of London, somewhere in one of the better neighbourhoods and within easy travelling distance to Scotland Yard. After that, I'd keep showering him with smaller gifts. A new pistol with ivory grips, etched with his monogram. A pocket watch, nothing too flash but solid enough to handle his work. Proper brass knuckles to replace the set he borrowed from my collection. Aside from that, I don't really know what else I'd buy him. I'd show him how much I cared simply by being there whenever he needed me, doing whatever he needed."  
'Oh Jacob.' Frederick sighed, a delighted smile on his face. 'And you call me a romantic.'  
"Would you buy him a ring? We're talking hypothetically here Jacob, the laws you know don't apply. If you could, would you marry him?" Luisa coaxed, really forcing Jacob to think now.  
"If I had the chance and the laws allowed it, I would. I'd do it properly too, someplace special with just the two of us. I'd get down on one knee and ask him to be mine forever." Jacob nodded, going back to toying with the ring he was wearing. "I'd buy him a simple ring, he's not the sort for anything too fancy."

Pausing the video again, Eva eased to her feet as she reached under her collar and pulled out a simple silver chain. Releasing the clasp, she lifted the chain free, revealing two simple silver plates dangling from it. One bore the Assassin's symbol, the other carried the Auditore crest, a promise and a family in one special piece of jewellery. They all wore one, not just the Auditore bloodlines but everyone that they considered part of their extended family.  
'Soon you will be reunited, Frederick. Tonight you will be able to settle beside Jacob and sleep peacefully in the knowledge that your suffering is at an end.' Eva smiled, placing the chain around his neck. 'This is for you. A reminder that you are part of the Auditore family and a promise that we will stand by you through everything.'  
'Thank you.' Frederick smiled weakly, brushing the plates lightly. 'I'll wear it with pride.'


	3. Making Friends

Still not feeling his best but thankful to be outside after over a month of being confined to his shared bedroom, Henry took his time hobbling through the gardens behind the magnificent villa. Mercede had offered to accompany him but Henry declined politely, needing some time alone to think about everything he had endured over the last few months. He felt better for his weekly chats with Dottore Toscano but he still knew that he had a long and difficult road ahead. Physically he was doing so much better; the problem remained with the mental scars from his torture. He wasn't sure if those scars would ever fade, even when his scars faded and became like the other scars left on him from missions long since forgotten.

Rubbing lightly at the bandage wrapped around his throat, protecting the still fragile flesh there, Henry found a bench under the shade of an old oak and sat gratefully. His torturers had known just how to cause the most pain and tear away what was left of his use to the Brotherhood. At least running the London Brotherhood had saved him from a ceremonial death as punishment for incompetence, even if it had been hard to keep up with the Frye twins. But now, barely able to walk and certainly unable to work as an Assassin, he wasn't sure what he would do with his time. He also doubted if he really was the right man for Evie, she deserved someone who could keep up with her and treat her as she deserved.

Sighing softly as he leant back against the tree, Henry's gaze drifted slowly across the gardens, watching the other residents of the villa out and about, getting on with their lives as he worried about his own.  
'Mind some company?' an Irish accented voice asked, tearing Henry from his thoughts.  
'By all means.' Henry nodded, shuffling over a little in welcome. 'I do not believe we have met. Henry Green; pleased to meet you.'  
'I am William Johnson.' the Irishman smiled, taking a seat and offering his hand. 'Pleasure to meet you Henry.'  
'Well, at least I am not the only one a little worse for wear lately.' Henry chuckled, noticing the cast around William's left forearm.  
'More than a little, I'm afraid.' William replied, brushing back his cloak to reveal that the cast went right up and over his shoulder. 'Shattered in nine places, the doctors aren't confident I'll ever regain full use of my elbow but they'll do their best.'  
'Might I ask what happened?' Henry asked, reaching out to help William smooth his cloak back into position over his cast.  
'I was tortured for information regarding the Livorno battle. I wouldn't answer so they kept striking at the bones with heavy steel bars until I passed out.' William sighed, rolling his right shoulder in a shrug. 'The irony isn't lost on me, a Templar sustaining serious harm to protect Assassins.'  
'You're a…' Henry started, jumping to his feet and promptly falling on his ass.  
'I was a Templar, aye, but it doesn't matter anymore. The Assassins achieved the final victory, ending the war by completely destroying everything the Templars had ever touched, all thanks to a precursor site hidden in Egypt. Ever since, the Auditore have been working hard to put an end to the slavery issue that came up thanks to a breakaway sect of Assassins.' William explained, offering out his right hand again. 'There are several former Templars here; no one cares about what we might have done in the past. We remember a few things but most of our deeds have been lost to us.'

Vaguely recalling Giovanni mentioning the exact same thing, Henry nodded slowly and accepted William's help to regain his feet and hobble back to the bench. Settling on the bench again, Henry sighed softly and turned to William again.  
'It's alright, Henry. This must be a huge shock to you, so used to seeing Templars as your enemy but now faced with the reality that we're no longer a threat.' William smiled, toying with the ring on his left hand. 'We just want to live our lives in peace.'  
'That is something I can understand completely.' Henry nodded, tipping his head to get a better look at the ring.  
'The rules of society have changed a lot since our times.' William chuckled, slipping the ring off and holding it out. 'Things that were considered illegal for us are now accepted.'  
'This is a beautiful ring but I am not sure I fully understand.' Henry smiled, admiring the ring and the precious stones safe inside it.  
'I am married but have no wife. Sodomy used to be a crime but now, such unions are celebrated with the same joy as any other wedding.' William replied, pointing to the ring again. 'Whatever your preferences, you will find support here.'  
'That's very interesting but not a concern to me, William.' Henry shrugged, handing back the ring with a grin. 'I have every intention of reclaiming my wife.'  
'And I have no intention of getting in your way; I'm simply giving you all the information.' William chuckled, slipping the ring back on. 'We also have a very happy threesome living in the villa, it's nothing official but they don't mind.'  
'Hey now, we'd like to make it official but the world isn't ready for that yet.' a younger man laughed, wandering towards the pair. 'Welcome to Monteriggioni, name's Clipper Wilkinson.'  
'Henry Green; pleased to meet you.' Henry replied, shaking Clipper's hand and shuffling over a little so he could sit.  
'One name of several from what I've heard.' Clipper remarked, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.  
'What have you been reading?' William asked, leaning forward to look at Clipper.  
'It's true but I have not gone by the Ghost of London or Jayadeep Mir for many years.' Henry nodded, doing his best to hide his surprise. 'How did you know?'  
'I can admit that I ain't real smart but I've been reading through the archives to better understand my Order.' Clipper shrugged, meeting Henry's gaze.  
'Ahh, so that's what you've been reading. The one area off limits to former Templars.' William chuckled, not really concerned about that one restriction. 'We don't question it, Henry. Far as we're concerned, the Assassins can keep their secrets.'  
'I believe I will stay with Henry, I have grown accustomed to the name.' Henry grinned, astounded that he had a choice again. 'I would forever be correcting pronunciation.'  
'Aye, that's probably true.' William agreed, leaning back once again. 'Any idea what you'll do with your time now?'  
'I have not even thought about it.' Henry admitted, rubbing his neck lightly. 'I'm still trying to adapt to my injuries.'  
'You'll find somethin', Henry. Might not be what you were doin' but it'll still be a good fit.' Clipper added, resting one hand on his shoulder lightly. 'Some of us have completely given up the Assassin life, it's a big change but it works.'  
'Come on, let's get you back inside. You're shivering.' William coaxed, getting to his feet and offering out his good arm.  
'Comes from falling in the snow.' Henry groused, accepting the help to stand and stagger back towards the villa. 'Next time you want to drop a surprise on me, make sure I'm not going to fall into a snow pile.'  
'A fair deal, my friend.' William agreed, mindful of slipping as they walked.

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Scanning the bookshelves for something new to read, Evie paused when she heard the happy burble of young voices coming from the next room. Curiosity piqued, she turned away from the towering bookshelves and padded through to the next room to see what was going on. By the sound of things, the children in there were quite young and absolutely full of energy. Pushing the door open slowly, Evie poked her head around and smiled softly at the sight inside the room.

The room itself had been painted in bright colours and everything in it had clearly been designed with children in mind. In one corner, an older man sat quietly in a rocking chair, busy feeding two little babies. By his feet, two slightly older girls sat, one playing with a stuffed bear and the other cuddling a dolly in a lovely red dress. Nearby, two older boys sat together playing with some blocks and occasionally looking towards the man in the rocking chair.  
'Oh, hello there.' the man smiled, looking up for a moment. 'I do not believe we have met.'  
'I'm Evie Frye, pleased to meet you.' Evie replied, coming over to sit beside him. 'You have a beautiful family.'  
'Thank you, they keep us busy but we're very happy to have them all.' he replied, supporting his youngest children as he put their bottles aside. 'Connor Kenway, at your service.'  
'Do you need any help?' Evie asked, looking down as one of the little girls crawled over to sit beside her feet.  
'I would appreciate the help.' Connor nodded, deftly handing one of his babies to Evie. 'This is Lance, he's a little calmer than his sister Diana.'  
'It is good that you're encouraging the differences. Too many parents raise twins as one child not two.' Evie nodded, draping a towel over her shoulder and lifting Lance up gently.  
'Yes, Eva mentioned that her parents made that mistake with her brothers Fabrizio and Filippo. Those two are truly inseparable, they panic if not together. We promised that we would not do that to our children, we want them free to follow whatever path they so wish.' Connor replied, gaze drifting over his little brood as he burped Diana with a tender hand.

Easing Lance down and wiping his chin lightly, Evie smiled softly as she rocked him slowly, perfectly content to sit and enjoy this moment. Henry had often joked that her mothering instincts were incredible, she'd always been the one to calm their children…Evie quickly nipped that thought in the bid, not wanting to think about the past and all that she had lost for reasons still unknown to her.  
'Oopa! Oopa!' one of the older boys chirped, drawing her attention away from Lance.  
'Hey there scamps.' a much older man laughed, entering the room and sinking to his knees as the little boys ran to him. 'Eva still hasn't returned yet?'  
'Not yet. She called earlier, said she should be home before dark.' Connor sighed, rocking Diana slowly. 'Evie Frye, this is my good friend Robert Faulkner. Warren and Maurice consider him part of the family, as dearly loved as their great-grandfather Edward. In time, we expect the other four will start as well.'  
'A pleasure to meet you, lass.' Robert smiled, releasing the boys and coming over to shake her hand. 'It's not just your six, all the Kenway younglings call me oopa now.'  
'Evie is fine, Robert.' Evie chuckled, taking his hand firmly. 'You have siblings, Connor?'  
'It's complicated.' Connor admitted, adjusting the blanket wrapped around Diana. 'Four generations of the Kenway family live together in a cottage just behind the villa. Edward and Caroline, Haytham and Kaniehtí:io, Jennifer and Cesare plus Eva and I with our six children.'  
'I am familiar with the Kenway family. Edward was a legend in my time.' Evie nodded, carefully handing Lance back to his father.  
'Edward and Caroline had a baby girl in 2026, Tess. She's technically my Aunt, even though she's only seven now. Aunt Jennifer and Cesare adopted two kids, Gwenfrewi in 2026 and Grigor in 2029. Cesare isn't capable of fathering kids so adoption is their only choice. My parents welcomed Waneek into the world in 2027, she was only three when she became an Aunt for the first time.' Connor explained, allowing Robert to take Diana and put her in one of the basinets nearby.  
'You're right, that's complicated but obviously you're making it work.' Evie agreed, lifting one of the little girls onto her lap.  
'Lass, you'll soon learn that this city is complicated. Found out years ago that I'm related to Connor through the Auditore, one of my female ancestors and one of his were cousins. We also discovered that Edward Kenway is somehow related to a guy who lived in Istanbul in the 1500s and Haytham's got a blood relationship with one of the women Edward worked alongside around Nassau and no, she's not his mother.' Robert added, carefully settling Lance beside his sister.  
'Then I guess that means we're related too. Luisa Auditore V is my grandmother.' Evie grinned, astounded by what she was learning about the family. 'Jacob is going to love this.'  
'Jacob?' Connor asked, picking up his other daughter and holding her close. 'It's okay Corrine, Myriam is just there.'  
'My twin brother. He was still sleeping when I left him, Luisa's got him on full bed rest so he's strong enough for the Christmas feast tomorrow.' Evie explained, neatening up Myriam's hair as she spoke.  
'Ah, so that's not the fellow I just saw William and Clipper bringing inside.' Robert shrugged, taking a seat on the floor and welcoming the boys onto his lap. 'Darker skin, black hair, earrings.'  
'No, that's Henry Green. At one point, my husband but with the time change, we'll no doubt have to be married again.' Evie replied, rather enjoying this chance to talk to new people.  
'Do not worry about the wedding just yet, Evie. When the time comes, the family will help with everything.' Connor guided, reaching over to place Corrine beside her sister.

Looking up when Corrine started making grabby hands towards the door, Evie felt a cold chill race up her back as she came face to face with Haytham Kenway. Tensing up, she surprised everyone when she stood, handed the little girls to Connor and advanced on Haytham as she snapped out her hidden blade.  
'Easy lass, we don't worry about that anymore.' Robert guided, reaching out to snag her wrist as she passed him. 'Forget what you knew, he's part of the family now.'  
'People change, Madam.' Haytham shrugged, lifting his shirt to reveal a neat line of stitches across his abdomen. 'Received while protecting Mr Faulkner from overwhelming odds.'  
'Aye, eight against one was a little much for this old seadog.' Robert agreed, releasing Evie's wrist slowly. 'There's plenty of us with similar stories. We've only got a handful of former Templars here but they've been vital in ending the slaver threat.'  
'You have nothing to fear from any of us. We just want to live in peace with our friends and families.' Haytham nodded, lowering his shirt and turning to Connor. 'Your mother needs you back home. She's doing the final work on your outfit for tomorrow.'  
'Of course.' Connor smiled, getting up and handing his daughters to Haytham. 'Lance and Diana only just went down for a nap.'  
'I can take care of them until Ziio is finished with you.' Haytham chuckled, accepting his granddaughters happily. 'Just be aware, Waneek is having one of her moods.'  
'I'll take care of it.' Connor nodded, grabbing his heavy coat and leaving the room.

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Keeping his step as light as possible so he didn't wake Jacob or Henry, Thomas crept into the recovery room and slipped across the room to open the doors leading onto the balcony. Tying back the light curtain to keep it under control, he stepped out onto the balcony and reached out to one of the eagles perched on the balustrade. Stroking her feathers lightly as she settled on his arm, Thomas turned and slipped back into the room, his touch keeping the resplendent bird calm and settled on his arm. As a rule, the eagles didn't come inside the villa but Thomas had noticed that these three were off their food and spent most of their time perched on that particular balustrade so he'd asked permission to bring them in to meet their partners.

Approaching the occupied bed, Thomas watched Jacob sleeping for a few moments before reaching out to guide the eagle onto the bed head where she could keep an eye on Jacob. Looking down at Jacob, she hopped off her oaken perch and half-glided, half-fell onto the pillows. Praying that her landing wasn't enough to wake Jacob, Thomas turned to leave but froze at the startled sound from the bed. He really should have known better, of course that heavy landing would wake an Assassin. Turning back, Thomas sat on the edge of the bed and offered out his left arm for the startled eagle as he rested his right hand on Jacob's shoulder.  
'Peace, she means no harm. She's just concerned for her human.' Thomas explained, bringing her close to his chest. 'Name's Thomas Hickey, I'm in charge of carin' for the city raptors.'  
'Jacob Frye…wait, her human?' Jacob croaked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and sitting up a little more.  
'Every Assassin in the city has an eagle of their own. Still don't know how they know but they all picked their human, never the other way.' Thomas nodded, shifting onto the bed a little more and looking down at the young bird on his arm. 'This is Cecily, she's four now and has already found her life mate.'  
'Cecily…that was my mother's name.' Jacob uttered, reaching out a tentative hand towards the eagle. 'I…what do I do?'  
'Here, offer her some of this from your hand.' Thomas guided, handing Jacob a few lumps of meat from the pouch at his hip. 'Call her name and feed her, she's got to get used to you.'  
'Here Cecily, I've got food.' Jacob coaxed, holding out a titbit between two fingers.

Looking up at Thomas for a moment, Cecily hopped off his arm and picked her way across the covers carefully, wings half open to help her balance. Stretching out her neck and tipping her head to the side, she took the first morsel delicately and started searching for the rest of her treat.  
'Smart girl Cecily.' Jacob smiled, giving her another piece and lightly touching her feathers. 'That's my pretty girl.'  
'This is the first time one of the city eagles has come inside. She really wanted to be with ya.' Thomas grinned, watching the pair bonding. 'Ya know, she'd probably cuddle with ya.'  
'Cuddle with me?' Jacob asked, not looking away from his bird.  
'Yeah, seen it before when the bond is strong. Move ya arm out a little more.' Thomas nodded, gently stroking Cecily's back.

Not quite sure what to think but willing to trust Thomas, Jacob lifted his right arm and moved it around behind Cecily slowly. Watching her closely, Jacob could hardly believe it as she made her way across the bedding to snuggle in against his side, majestic head resting lightly on his chest as she looked at him. Amazed that such a deadly creature could be so tame, Jacob wrapped his arm around her loosely and stroked her feathers lightly.  
'Not everyone is lucky 'nough to get this with their bird.' Thomas grinned, watching the pair bonding. 'Most gotta settle for petting and hope they don't get nipped.'  
'Hey Thomas, lend a hand will ya? This is doin' me back.' Clipper called, drawing attention towards the door.

Bounding to his feet, Thomas hustled across the room and slipped under Henry's arm, taking his weight easily enough and allowing Clipper to stretch out his back again. Accepting the sturdy cane Clipper was holding, Thomas grinned and tightened his grip on Henry a little more.  
'Taught ya were restin' Billy.' Thomas remarked, slowing his pace a little.  
'I did but decided that a walk was in order as well.' William replied, releasing his grip on Henry and rubbing at his shoulder. 'Good thing I did, too. Henry took a tumble into a snow bank.'  
'Do I want to know why you are snuggling with an eagle, Jacob?' Henry asked, staring at Jacob as they passed his bed.  
'This is Cecily, my new companion.' Jacob replied, still lightly stroking her feathers.  
'Every Assassin has their own eagle companion.' William added, glancing at Thomas quickly. 'I can help Henry if you want to go find his bird, Thomas.'  
'Don't need ta find her. Already got the perfect one waiting on the balcony fer Henry.' Thomas chuckled, grabbing a towel and tossing it onto the bed. 'Ya get changed and I'll bring her in.'

Stepping back out onto the balcony, Thomas headed straight for the mostly covered basket in the most protected corner and crouched beside it. Lifting the cover a little, he smiled at the young eagle huddled in the basket and reached in to lightly stroke her head. Carefully picking up the basket, he held it close and stepped back inside as Henry settled in his bed with a soft sigh.  
'I will take these down to the laundry.' William nodded, gathering up Henry's wet clothes. 'They should have them back to you tonight.'  
'You have my thanks, William.' Henry smiled, snuggling down under the blankets. 'I thought you said bird, not basket Thomas.'  
'This is Jasmine, she's had a rough start and really needs someone with a gentle hand to take care of her until she's back to full health.' Thomas explained, coming over and setting the basket beside Henry. 'She just finished moultin' her juvenile feathers so she's still got a lot to learn but I had ta put her trainin' on hold after she was attacked by the others.'  
'Jasmine, that's a pretty name.' Henry smiled, reaching out to lift the cover. 'Oh, you poor little girl.'  
'Easy now Jasmine, easy now.' Thomas soothed, folding the cover back and carefully lifting her out.

She'd taken an absolute thrashing from the other eagles, her feathers were patchy and the skin revealed by missing feathers was scratched quite badly. Her right leg had been splinted and bandaged and her left wing wrapped and immobilised against her side. There was a nasty looking crack in her beak too and a healing gash dangerously close to her right eye.  
'She's lookin' better today, nearly lost her a few times but I think she's gonna be okay in time.' Thomas grinned, settling Jasmine down beside Henry. 'Just be gentle with her.'  
'I will take good care of her Thomas.' Henry promised, gently stroking her back as she settled against him. 'I will need your guidance however. I have never cared for an eagle before.'  
'Tha's no problem. I'm always around.' Thomas nodded, reaching into his pouch again. ''ere, she's probably hungry.'  
'Don't dally, Thomas. Luisa is on the warpath.' William warned, leaning in to press a soft kiss behind his ear. 'She won't let anyone get in the way of her plans for tomorrow.'  
'I'd love to know what's got her so excited this year.' Thomas agreed, setting a sealed container near Henry and returning to Jacob with another container. 'If ya need any help, just ask someone ta pass a message.'

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Cursing under her breath with every weary step, Eva trudged up the slope and promised that she would seek retribution against whoever had neglected to clear these paths. Thanks to an unexpected snow storm near the airport, they had been diverted and then forced to drive the rest of the way back to the city. But even once they'd finally made it back to Monteriggioni, Eva's troubles weren't over. Obviously no one had been using these back paths, they were all completely covered in snow and it didn't look like anyone was out working to clear even one for her return. At least she'd been able to find an easier way to get Frederick up the hill. She really hadn't liked the idea of trying to carry him up the hill in these conditions.

At least he was warm and reasonably comfortable, huddled in a couple of extra blankets and seated in one of the canoes the family had for the summer. She'd been hoping for one of the big sleds but those had all been taken up to the villa for the winter, leaving her with no choice but the canoe.  
'You okay back there?' she called, pausing to rest for a few moments.  
'I think so, just a little cold and tired.' Frederick replied, trying to huddle deeper into the blankets.  
'We're almost home, my friend.' Eva smiled, returning to his side and re-tucking the blankets around him. 'Soon we can rest by the fire.'  
'That sounds marvellous.' Frederick agreed, covering a yawn in the blankets.  
'It certainly does.' Eva nodded, grabbing the ropes again and continuing up the slope. 'And a nice bowl of soup to fill our bellies.'  
'Bliss, absolute bliss.' Frederick chuckled, covering another yawn.

Finally passing through the garden gate, Eva sighed softly as she dropped the ropes and came back to crouch beside Frederick again. Doing her best not to hurt him, she picked him up and lumbered up the last flight of stairs blocking her way. Kicking the snow off her boots, she entered the newer south wing of the ancient villa and breathed a sigh of relief as she set Frederick down in the wheelchair Luisa had left for them.  
'Welcome home, Frederick.' she uttered, checking her watch quickly. 'Remember to keep your voice down. Luisa and I are the only ones who know anything about your presence here. Not sure when she'll reveal your presence to Jacob but given the time, I'm guessing she'll insist on waiting until the morning.'  
'But…I thought you said…' Frederick started, looking up at her with wide eyes.  
'I know, but it's getting close to eleven pm. Besides, just imagine the look on Jacob's face when you're there to greet him on Christmas morning. A true Christmas miracle.' Eva chuckled, lightly touching his shoulder as she continued walking.  
'That makes sense, and an extra night to heal would probably be wise.' Frederick agreed, smiling fondly at the idea. 'A Christmas miracle for us both.'

Constantly listening and checking for any sign of anyone that might spoil the surprise, Eva made it through the villa to Luisa's office, making sure Jacob hadn't come in for another late night cuddle before pushing Frederick inside and closing the heavy curtain. There was no doubting that Luisa had been expecting Eva to come here first, two covered bowls sat on the corner of her desk beside three goblets and a bottle of their finest pear cider.  
'The mission was a success, sorella.' Eva offered, tugging off her gloves and lowering her hood as she set her pack down. 'Frederick Abberline, I'd like you to meet my eldest sister, Luisa Auditore.'  
'I was starting to think you would not make it, sorellina.' Luisa remarked, signing the document she was reading and finally looking up. 'Dio mio, what happened? I was expecting some injuries but not to this extent.'  
'Part of that can be blamed on Lambeth HQ, they are not doing their duty to those placed under their care. The rest…well it's lucky I got there when I did.' Eva sighed, dropping into one of the padded chairs near the desk. 'A mob of perhaps twenty men decided to beat the snot out of Frederick for reasons I do not yet know.'  
'It's simple really. I refused their advances and they got angry.' Frederick admitted, looking away in shame. 'I was forced to use the money provided by the Lambeth Assassins to keep those brutes away but when that ran out…well you saw the results.'  
'I do hope you made it very clear that Signore Abberline is now under our protection.' Luisa nodded, gaze flicking to Eva.  
'Every member of the mob required medical treatment of some sort. Fifteen of them were incapable of leaving the alleyway where the attack took place. The five that did have a chance to flee foolishly came back for another round but I made the decision to retreat rather than risk Frederick's health further.' Eva confirmed, setting a USB on the desk. 'My full report, along with copies of the letters I sent to the Lambeth HQ and the London Council.'  
'Excellent, I will read it soon.' Luisa praised, scooping up the drive and plugging it into her laptop as she motioned to the waiting food. 'Enough talk of business, it is late and you have travelled far. The soup is excellent and I hope you like the cider. If you'd prefer something else, we have a huge cellar of various drinks.'  
'I have always had a weakness for a good whiskey but cider does sound nice.' Frederick nodded, eyeing the soup bowls for a moment. 'This might be a challenge.'  
'It's okay Frederick, you'll always find someone around to help when you need it.' Luisa smiled, getting up and coming around her desk.  
'Oh no you don't, Luisa. I went to hell and back to bring Frederick home. I'm in charge.' Eva growled, getting to her feet. 'Tomorrow morning, after breakfast, I'm putting these two lovebirds out of their misery and I don't care what you think.'

Grabbing one of the soup bowls and settling on a chair right beside Frederick, Eva ignored the glare from her eldest sister and focused on getting some decent food into Frederick. Luisa rarely used her position as an excuse to put pressure on the younger siblings but sometimes it was important to remind her that they were all technically equals within this city.  
'Glare all you want Luisa. This missing ain't done until Frederick and Jacob have their reunion.' Eva snapped, returning the glare for a moment. 'Here, eat your fill and then I'll find you a comfortable place to sleep for the night.'  
'Sounds wonderful.' Frederick agreed, mostly ignoring Luisa as he accepted Eva's help.  
'Safest place would be either here or in the back room of the library. I can keep Jacob distracted from either location.' Luisa offered, letting her shoulders droop. 'I guess I have been a little stubborn these last few days. I'll be glad to hand Monteriggioni back to Vanni and Renzo when they get home.'  
'More than a little stubborn from what I've heard, sorella.' Eva replied, still focused on Frederick and his meal. 'Library means more stairs. The couch here will suffice for one night.'  
'Alright, I'll make it up properly.' Luisa nodded, heading for the cabinet where she kept her emergency bedding. 'I have a new respect for Vanni and Renzo, I had no idea how much work they did to keep the city, district and Brotherhood running smoothly.'  
'Soon you can return to beating up your mercenaries and waging war against our cousin.' Eva chuckled, relaxing a little more. 'I really should let my husband know I'm home.'  
'He fell asleep in the sitting room waiting for you. The Kenway's agreed to watch your six for the night so he could be here when you came home.' Luisa offered, spreading the sheets out over the couch. 'I could go get him if you want.'  
'I'd appreciate that. I'm so tired right now that the idea of lifting Frederick one more time has me seriously concerned that I'll drop him.' Eva agreed, burying a yawn in her shoulder. 'It's okay, it's just been a long time since I had a mission like this.'  
'I cannot thank you enough for all of this, Eva. You've given me hope again, that's more than I've had in years.' Frederick offered, still worried about Jacob's reaction to seeing him again. 'I just hope Jacob can accept the challenges.'  
'You worry too much, my friend. He loves you, I seriously doubt there's anything that could make him leave you.' Luisa soothed, smoothing out the blankets and setting the pillow in place. 'I'll be right back, hopefully Connor's in a safe mood.'  
'Call him by his native name and you should be fine.' Eva suggested, setting the empty bowl aside and pouring them both a drink. 'Remember what we talked about. You can't hope to heal if you won't talk about what's hurting you. You're both hurting right now, both suffering in ways you shouldn't have to and the only way you can ever find peace is to let your defences fall and talk it through together.'  
'I'll try…it's just…I am afraid he'll leave.' Frederick admitted, hanging his head as he shivered.  
'He won't leave, Frederick. After everything he's gone through, all that he's suffered and still his primary concern was your safety and well being. There were times that he'd cry out for Evie and she could calm him but when things were really bad, when he's in great pain and needs help, he cries out for his Freddy. He needs you and you need him, together you're so much stronger than you could ever be alone.' Eva explained, reaching out to brush a stray tear from his cheek.  
'I hate seeing him so distraught but there's nothing I can do. It's not family that he needs, it's the unshakeable love of his dear Freddy.' Luisa added, letting the curtain fall behind her. 'He'll be right in, Eva. He just needs a minute to wake up properly.'  
'I know it's scary, Frederick. You've faced hell but you survived and now you've got a chance to build on what you already have with Jacob. You can do this, I know you can.' Eva nodded, stroking his cheek lightly. 'The fact you can stand human contact is proof that you're not as broken as you think you are.'

The sweet smile she got in reply suddenly vanished as the curtain behind them swept open and Connor entered the room. He tensed up and immediately started looking around, almost as though he was looking for a place to hide.  
'Frederick, it's okay. Calm down, you're safe here. Shhh, he won't hurt you, that's my husband Connor. You're safe here, it's okay Frederick.' Eva coaxed, cupping Frederick's cheeks and forcing him to look at her. 'You can trust me, Frederick. I won't let anyone hurt you again. I'm here, I'll keep you safe no matter what.'  
'That's your husband?' Frederick asked, gaze swinging to Connor again. 'He's bloody intimidating.'  
'He might look dangerous but I promise you, he's as gentle as a summer breeze.' Eva replied, relaxing her grip. 'You have nothing to fear from him, he's a sweet soul under all that bulk.'  
'I did not mean to frighten you, Mr Abberline.' Connor offered, holding back for the moment. 'I have missed my wife so much these last few days.'  
'Only because you hate doing the midnight feeds.' Eva chuckled, waving him over. 'You're in safe hands Frederick, I won't let anyone hurt you.'  
'You have children Eva?' Frederick asked, astounded that she had left her family for him.  
'Si, six dear little ones. Three sets of twins; Warren and Maurice, Myriam and Corrine, Diana and Lance.' Eva nodded, shuffling over a little so Connor could kneel beside her. 'I left them safe in the care of their father to bring you home Frederick and I'd do it again in a heartbeat to save another member of this incredible family.'  
'I understand what it is to suffer, Mr Abberline. I too survived the slaver camps.' Connor sighed, pulling his sleeves up to reveal the thick scars around his wrists. 'Many who call this city home have endured similar horrors.'

Doing his best to ignore the pain from his injuries, Frederick gathered up his tattered courage and reached out to Connor slowly, resting his right hand on one scarred wrist in a show of understanding. He was still nervous but he was willing to trust Eva with his safety. If she said he would be safe here, he believed her and would do his best to accept the men around him.  
'This will not be easy for me, Connor, but I will try. I have spent too long fearing other men to accept their presence easily but I know I cannot live in the past forever.' Frederick sighed, struggling to meet Connor's gaze.  
'I understand, it took me some time to feel comfortable again.' Connor nodded, lightly placing his free hand over Frederick's splinted fingers.  
'Do you think you would be okay with Connor helping you to bed?' Eva asked, watching the pair closely for any signs of distress.  
'I…I believe so, yes.' Frederick nodded, gaze flicking from Connor to the couch and back again.  
'Gently now Connor, he took a beating worse than your grandfather when the Welsh Assassins were last here.' Eva warned, getting to her feet and moving aside.  
'Now that was a fight I'd rather not see again.' Connor sighed, waiting for Frederick to lean back before standing.

Trying to hide the way his hands were shaking, Frederick crushed down on his fear as Connor ever so gently wrapped his powerful arms around him and lifted him from the chair. The lift so smooth, Frederick had the feeling that he weighed practically nothing to the bigger man. Relaxing a little more, Frederick sighed softly and hoped that this meant he would be able to handle Jacob's embrace without freaking out.  
'Sleep peacefully, Mr Abberline, you are safe here.' Connor rumbled, sinking down and gently settling Frederick on the couch.  
'The formality is unnecessary, Connor.' Frederick smiled, finding a comfortable position as Connor draped the blankets over him. 'Frederick is fine.'  
'Very well, Frederick.' Connor nodded, tucking the blankets in securely. 'Sleep well, my friend.'  
'Thank you.' Frederick yawned, burrowing down a little more and giving in to his need for sleep.


End file.
